Nationwide Threat to Medication Abortion
Court Decisions in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA
Case update: The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 13 that anti-abortion plaintiffs suing the FDA did not have standing to bring the case. The ruling allows the widely used abortion medication, mifepristone, to remain accessible through telemedicine and pharmacies—distribution permitted under the FDA’s recent actions to expand access to the drug.
Read about the court decisions made in this case so far. (Rulings appear in reverse chronological order.)
U.S. Supreme Court, 06.13.24
By 9-0, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected anti-abortion extremists’ efforts to reinstate outdated restrictions on mifepristone, ruling that the plaintiffs did not have standing to bring the case. The ruling maintains the current FDA regulations of mifepristone, meaning that medication abortion can still be dispensed at pharmacies and through the mail.
U.S. Supreme Court, 12.13.23
After the U.S. Department of Justice filed a writ of certiori to the Supreme Court on September 8 asking it to review the Fifth Circuit Court’s ruling, on December 13, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court agreed to review the case and scheduled arguments for March 26.
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Ruling, 08.16.23
Court rules to reinstate restrictions on mifepristone from pre-2016, but the ruling does not take effect due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s April 21 order.
Read the court’s decision here.
U.S. Supreme Court Order, 04.21.23
Court continues to block lower court ruling, allowing the drug to remain on the market as the case proceeds.
Read the Court’s April 21 order here.
U.S. Supreme Court Temporary Orders, 04.14.23 and 04.19.23
Court issues a temporary stay, preventing the district court’s order from taking effect.
Read the Court’s April 14 order here and its April 19 order here.
More about the April 14 order.
Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Ruling, 04.12.23
Court largely refuses to block the federal court’s order and attempts to reinstate burdensome restrictions from pre-2016.
Read the court’s decision here.
Federal District Court Ruling, 04.07.23
Decision attempts to block the long-standing FDA approval of mifepristone, dealing what could be a devastating blow to abortion access across the country.
