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The Supreme Court considers the future of mifepristone

An overcast sky hangs above the U.S. Supreme Court.
An overcast sky hangs above the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court is hearing a case that will determine access to a widely-used abortion pill. At the center of the FDA v. the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine is the drug mifepristone. It’s been approved by the FDA for over 23 years. It’s commonly used in a two-drug combination for medication abortion.

It’s the first abortion case the court has heard since it overturned Roe v. Wade. More people than ever are relying on medication abortion since states have imposed bans and restrictions on access to the procedure.A group of anti-abortion doctors and organizations brought the case against the FDA saying the drug is unsafe. The group is also asking to roll back telemedicine and mail access to pharmaceuticals.

But the case could have wide-reaching effects beyond abortion access. The FDA’s authority is also at stake.What did we learn from the oral arguments and what comes next?

Copyright 2024 WAMU 88.5

Michelle Harven