07.24.2026 (PRESS RELEASE) — A federal court in Virginia ruled that the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) restrictions on the abortion pill mifepristone are unjustified and baseless, and ordered the agency to reconsider them. In its ruling, the court said the FDA disregarded the scientific record demonstrating that mifepristone could be safely prescribed without restrictive regulations. This case—Whole Woman’s Health Alliance v. FDA—was filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights in May 2023 on behalf of multiple abortion providers across Virginia, Kansas, and Montana.

In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Robert S. Ballou called the restrictions on mifepristone “arbitrary” and “capricious,” ordering the Trump Administration to review and consider removing them. He wrote, “The FDA has steadfastly found, over the past quarter century, that mifepristone is a safe and effective medication.”

The decision comes just before a panel of Fifth Circuit judges will hear arguments in another case, where Louisiana is asking the court to reinstate old FDA restrictions that would block patients from getting mifepristone by mail or from a pharmacy. Nearly one third of abortion patients get their care this way. Prompted by intense pressure from anti-abortion groups, the FDA has announced its own review of abortion pill regulations based on a debunked, self-published position paper.

“This ruling is a win for science,” said Nancy Northup, President and CEO at the Center for Reproductive Rights. “So many states and politicians are targeting mifepristone right now for political reasons. This essential drug is in grave danger of being severely restricted or even taken off the market nationwide. But as the court ruled today, mifepristone is exceedingly safe. The efforts to restrict it are not about science or safety—they are about making abortion harder to access.”

“Mifepristone is incredibly safe, yet it faces restrictions that aren’t even required for high-risk medications, like opioids,” said Linda Goldstein, Senior Counsel at the Center for Reproductive Rights. “That’s why we asked the court to remove three medically unnecessary restrictions, which make abortion pills harder to access nationwide. These restrictions prohibit providers and pharmacies from prescribing or dispensing mifepristone without special registration and certification. They also require patients to sign duplicative, inaccurate, and confusing paperwork. It’s time to get rid of these senseless requirements.”

Quotes from Plaintiffs:

“It is a great day to win a reproductive rights case in Virginia! It’s been a long road to get to this outcome, but it was worth the wait. I have worked in abortion care for over 30 years, and I can attest that these regulations serve no medical purpose, nor do they add value to our patients’ experience of abortion,” said Amy Hagstrom Miller, President & CEO of Plaintiff Whole Woman’s Health Alliance. “Getting rid of this red tape would allow our clinic staff to focus on our patients’ needs instead of excessive paperwork. Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, our 2 Virginia clinics and statewide telemedicine program have seen a large influx of patients from other states, and we need to prioritize patient care above all.”

“This ruling is a victory—not just for providers, but for the people we care for every day,” said Kathryn Boyd, President & CEO of Trust Women. “Removing these unnecessary barriers would mean our teams can spend less time on paperwork and more time doing what they’re called to do—caring for patients with compassion and urgency. In Kansas, we’ve become a vital access point for people forced to travel long distances for abortion care. Every barrier lifted would mean fewer delays, less stress, and more dignity for our patients. We want to put people first—where the focus should always be.”

“Finally, a win for science and pregnant people! With this ruling, we are one step closer to being able to provide safe, essential healthcare to people who need it without politically motivated, medically unnecessary roadblocks,” said Helen Weems, APRN and owner of All Families Healthcare clinic.

“This ruling is an important victory for our patients and a powerful reminder that healthcare policy should be driven by science, not politics. Removing these unnecessary barriers would help ensure pregnant people can access the essential, timely, and dignified care they deserve, while protecting and strengthening access to medication abortion as a safe and effective healthcare option,” said Kathryn Sanders of Blue Mountain Clinic.

Mifepristone was first approved in 2000 and has been used by more than 7.5 million people in the United States to end a pregnancy. Medication abortion is currently the most common method of abortion in the United States, accounting for nearly two thirds of all abortions. Decades of studies have shown that mifepristone is extraordinarily safe.

This case was filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights on behalf of plaintiffs Whole Woman’s Health Alliance in Virginia and other states; All Families Healthcare and Blue Mountain Clinic in Montana; and Trust Women in Kansas. The Center for Reproductive Rights also is suing the Trump administration in federal district court in the District of Columbia for withholding information about its decision to re-evaluate the FDA’s current regulation of mifepristone.

###

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Center for Reproductive Rights: [email protected]

Whole Woman’s Health: [email protected]

Trust Women: [email protected]

Blue Mountain Clinic: [email protected]