Following a heated legal situation, the US Supreme Court has extended access to the commonly used abortion drug mifepristone through Friday. The choice was made after a Texas judge on April 7 suspended the drug's approval and questioned its safety. In response, the Biden administration urgently petitioned the Supreme Court.
Ever since the Supreme Court ignored and struck down the national right to abortion last year, this case represents the most significant advancement.
United States Supreme Court Extends the Access to the Pill
The FDA's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone has been turned down and revoked by a Texas federal judge who issued a preliminary decision prohibiting the distribution while the case is still in court. According to the article in BBC, the drug's safety is being questioned in the filed case, in which it was brought up by a group of medical professionals opposed to abortion. The judge argued that the FDA had not adequately considered side effects during the approval process.
Significant medical associations, such as the FDA and American Medical Association, still consider mifepristone as safe and effective and is very accessible for women, and gives them more options.
Shortly after the Texas decision, a federal judge in Washington state issued an order that directly opposed it and instructed the FDA to keep it available. Mifepristone was now still available in 17 US states as a result.
In light of the conflicting judgments, the government filed an appeal with the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans and asked for a hold on the Texas order throughout the appeals procedure to ensure mifepristone's accessibility. The appeals court permitted the drug to remain on the market but added new limitations.
The Justice Department and Danco contend that lower court decisions could ban mifepristone from the market for months, depriving women of access to a secure, efficient substitute for surgical abortions. The story in CNBC shares that the FDA's approval of the drug was unlawful, according to anti-abortion groups, but these allegations are refuted by former FDA employees, medical organizations, the pharmaceutical industry, 23 US states, and hundreds of members of Congress.
They contend that the FDA conducted an exhaustive investigation to confirm the security and efficiency of mifepristone. According to Pfizer, biotech executives, and investors, the FDA's safety and efficacy standards will be compromised if the rulings are upheld. Ex-FDA officials warn that this could result in more lawsuits from rival businesses or individuals who report side effects, possibly causing the removal of treatments from the market.
Also Read: Texas Judge Blocks FDA Approval of Mifepristone Abortion Pill: Biden Administration to Appeal
Biden Warns of Wider Impact on FDA-Approved Medications
According to US News, President Biden warns that Kacsmaryk's decision may have repercussions beyond mifepristone and affect all Americans. He believes no FDA-approved medication would be immune to political or ideological criticism. Whether abortion is illegal or not, the decision could make it possible for women to acquire and take the prescription.
Some women in states with abortion restrictions are thankful for the combination of mifepristone and misoprostol, for it gives them more options. While misoprostol causes contractions resembling a miscarriage, mifepristone suppresses a hormone required for pregnancy. According to the experts, most American women can still obtain a medical abortion even if the abortion pill mifepristone is revoked. Misoprostol would still be available only that it would be less practical without its pair.
Related Article: Abortion Pill Limitations Temporarily Halted by Supreme Court
