BREAKING: Court Blocks Mail-Order Abortion Pill —
Now Before the Supreme Court
On Friday, May 1st, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that mifepristone — the most commonly used abortion medication in the country — can no longer be prescribed via telemedicine and shipped by mail. The ruling reinstates a requirement that the pill be obtained only in person at a clinic.
The decision affects women in every state, including those where abortion remains legal. Currently, 1 in 4 abortions in the U.S. are provided through telemedicine. Advocates warn the ruling will hit rural women, low-income women, survivors of domestic violence, and women with disabilities hardest.
The fast-track emergency appeal was filed Saturday with conservative Justice Samuel Alito, putting the drug and the issue of abortion back on the high court's docket less than two years after the justices rejected a similar challenge. The Supreme Court has not yet responded. CNN
We will update members as this rapidly developing story continues.
Read the full story here: NPR — Court Restricts Abortion Access Across the U.S. by Blocking the Mailing of Mifepristone