Different Takes: The Latest In The Battle Over Medication Abortion

Bloomberg: Abortion Pill Ruling Will Lead To Later, More Painful Pregnancy Terminations 
By rolling back the clock, the appeals court’s ruling increases the number of medical consultations required; bars the use of telehealth or mail-order pharmacies to fill prescriptions; and says mifepristone can be used only through seven weeks of pregnancy, rather than 10. (Sarah Green Carmichael, 4/13)

The Washington Post: Fifth Circuit’s Action On Abortion Pill Mifepristone Is A Travesty 
Do not be confused by headlines that a federal appeals court has allowed the abortion drug mifepristone to remain available. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit’s action is a defeat for the rule of law, for scientific expertise and for reproductive health. (Ruth Marcus, 4/13)

Bloomberg: When Supreme Court Considers Abortion Pill, Kavanaugh Will Be Swing Vote 
The core of the 5th Circuit’s opinion, the part that is both legally outrageous and tactically clever, has mostly to do with the FDA’s decision in 2016 to extend approval of mifepristone from seven weeks of pregnancy to 10; and the agency’s Covid-era decision to allow the drug to be mailed to patients. (Noah Feldman, 4/14)

Chicago Tribune: A Texas Judge’s Assault On Abortion Access Was Wrong. So Was The GOP’s Silence. 
U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of Texas is a household name now. He’s the judge who ignored scientific evidence in favor of partisan politics and invalidated the Food and Drug Administration’s 23-year-old approval of mifepristone, the pill that has become the most common method of abortion in the U.S. (4/13)

Los Angeles Times: The Only Thing Certain About Medication Abortion Is The Confusion Over How To Get It 
A federal appeals court has ruled that mifepristone, one of two drugs used in medication abortion, can remain on the market as a court case over whether it was properly approved by the FDA continues. That isn’t as good or as straightforward as it sounds. (4/14)