A federal appeals court on May 1 temporarily froze federal rules that allow teleprescribing and mailing of abortion drugs, a setback for expanded access to mifepristone. [1]
The 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals issued the ruling in a case brought by Louisiana, which argued that the Biden administration rules undermined state laws protecting unborn human life and shifted Medicaid costs to emergency care for women harmed by mifepristone. [1]
The federal rules expanded access to mifepristone, a drug used in medication abortions. Reproductive rights advocates said the appeals court order would cut nationwide access to abortion medication. [1]
The dispute followed a lower court ruling the prior week that said mail-order prescriptions for mifepristone should continue while the Food and Drug Administration completed a safety review. [1]
Abortion medication sent by teleprescribing and mail accounts for more than 60% of all abortions in the health system, according to the facts in the case. [1]
Regina Davis Moss, CEO of In Our Own Voice, said, "At a time when families are struggling to afford basic needs like housing, groceries and child care, it is unconscionable to restrict lifesaving access to abortion medication." She added that reinstating in-person dispensing would force people to travel farther, miss work and pay costs they could not absorb. [1]
An emergency appeal to the Supreme Court is likely. [1]