A federal appeals court has temporarily stopped Americans from obtaining mifepristone, an abortion pill, through the mail. The court issued the pause in response to a lawsuit filed by Louisiana challenging an FDA regulation that expanded access to the medication.
The FDA had relaxed restrictions on mifepristone distribution in 2023, allowing patients to receive the pill by mail rather than requiring in-person clinic visits. This change significantly broadened access to medication abortion across the country. Louisiana's legal challenge argues the FDA overstepped its authority in modifying these requirements.
The temporary halt freezes the current access rules while the case proceeds. This means patients in many states will face renewed obstacles to obtaining mifepristone remotely. The ruling affects one of the most common methods of abortion in the United States, used in roughly two-thirds of all abortions.
The decision represents a major setback for abortion access advocates. Multiple legal challenges to mifepristone regulations are moving through federal courts, creating uncertainty about how the medication will be dispensed going forward. The case will likely reach higher courts as both sides contest the medication's availability.