US SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS ACCESS TO THE ABORTION PILL—Mifepristone is here to stay
Sources: Wired, Planned Parenthood,
Guttmacher Insitute
What’s Happening?
The U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in favor of upholding access to mifepristone. In a 9-0 decision in FDA v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, the justices determined that the plaintiffs lacked standing to sue to remove the drug from the market. Approved by the FDA in 2000, mifepristone is used with misoprostol to induce abortions within the first 10 weeks of pregnancy by blocking the hormone progesterone and causing uterine contractions. In 2023, pills accounted for over 60% of U.S. abortions, according to the Guttmacher Institute.
The medication requires a doctor's prescription.
There are multiple abortion cases before the US Supreme Court. This case does not affect the decision in Idaho vs. United States, which challenges the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA). EMTALA is a federal law requiring hospitals to provide stabilizing treatment to patients who present to their emergency rooms. The law preempts state abortion laws and mandates that hospitals accepting Medicare provide abortion care when necessary to stabilize a patient’s condition, even if this violates state law.
Why this is a feminist issue:
Mifepristone is safe and effective, and it is a vital part of expanding reproductive health access in a country where 1 in 3 women of reproductive age live in a state with an abortion ban. Abortion pills will remain available at the two largest pharmacy chains in the United States. Additionally, abortion pills can also be ordered by mail. However, despite these advancements, abortion remains restricted in numerous states. With reproductive rights under attack, it is more important than ever to celebrate the progress made while continuing the fight for abortion access for all.
HERE’S HOW YOU CAN TAKE ACTION:
👉 If you or someone you know is seeking an abortion visit @ineedanacom @abortionpil
👉 Learn more about the state of abortion rights in the U.S. and around the world in our FEMINIST Abortion Action Toolkit.
👉 Learn how to get abortion pills by mail in all 50 states @plancpills @aidaccess
