The US Supreme Court has ruled that a widely used abortion pill can remain available while a legal case continues. The decision is a victory for President Joe Biden’s administration, which supports broad access to the drug.
The abortion pill, called mifepristone, is taken with another drug called misoprostol to perform medication abortion, which accounts for more than half of all US abortions. The drug also has other uses, such as the management of miscarriages.
The Supreme Court’s order on Friday blocked new restrictions set by lower courts on mifepristone that would have greatly limited its availability. The restrictions were challenged by anti-abortion groups who questioned the safety and effectiveness of the drug.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency that approves drugs in the US, has approved mifepristone since 2000 and more than 5 million people have used it. The FDA has said that the drug is safe and effective when used according to its label.
The Biden administration is defending mifepristone in the face of mounting abortion bans and restrictions enacted by Republican-led states. The Supreme Court overturned the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide last year.
The current case could also affect the federal authority over drug safety. The Supreme Court’s order will keep mifepristone available while the litigation proceeds in lower courts.
Two conservative justices, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, dissented from the decision. They said that the administration and the drug’s manufacturer did not show that they would suffer irreparable harm if the restrictions were allowed to take effect.
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