Access to the abortion pill mifepristone will stay the same after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a move by anti-abortion groups to restrict its availability. This decision is seen as a victory for supporters of abortion rights and the millions of women in states where abortion is legal.
However, access to mifepristone still varies widely across states due to differing laws. Approximately half of the states allow full access under federal guidelines.
“This ruling doesn’t alter anything anywhere,” explained David S. Cohen, a law professor at Drexel University. “Tomorrow will be like today, and the same as yesterday, and the same as it was before this case was filed.”
Florida Supreme Court greenlights six-week abortion ban (Via Frank Baker/Shutterstock)
Here’s what the decision means and what it doesn’t mean for abortion access:
The justices essentially ruled that the anti-abortion doctors who filed the case did not have the legal right to challenge the FDA’s decisions on the safety and availability of the drug. The FDA has consistently affirmed the safety and effectiveness of mifepristone since approving it over 20 years ago.
The doctors, part of the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, argued that they might need to treat emergency room patients who suffer serious injuries after taking mifepristone.
