Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Lawmakers Weigh In On Appeal Of Texas Judge's Abortion Pill Ruling
The Hill: 69 Republicans Ask Appeals Court To Allow Ban On Abortion Pill To Go Forward
A group of 69 Republican members of Congress filed a brief urging an appeals court to uphold the decision of a federal judge in Texas last week that would halt the prescription of a widely used abortion pill, after over 200 congressional Democrats lobbied for a reversal of the ruling. The House Republicans that signed on were led by Rep. August Pfluger (R-Texas) and included the likes of Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-Col.) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.). They argued that the federal government approval of the abortion drug mifepristone, which has been approved for over 20 years, is “unlawful.” (Neukam, 4/11)
The Hill: 240 Democrats Ask Appeals Court To Block Texas Judge’s Abortion Pill Ruling
Two hundred and forty Democratic members of Congress are asking an appeals court to block a Texas judge’s ruling last week that will halt the prescription and distribution of mifepristone, a widely used pill for abortions and managing early miscarriages. The lawmakers — 50 senators and 190 House members — signed onto an amicus brief that was submitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Tuesday backing the Biden administration’s appeal of last week’s ruling. (Schnell, 4/11)
The Washington Post: Antiabortion Group Asks Court To Let Texas Abortion Pill Ruling Stand
An antiabortion group seeking to block access to a widely used abortion pill asked a federal appeals court late Tuesday to allow a lower court’s ruling that would pull the medication off the market to proceed. The Justice Department had on Monday appealed the ruling last week by a federal judge in Texas that suspended the Food and Drug Administration’s approval — in 2000 — for the drug mifepristone. ... Any delay in blocking access to the pill would “perpetuate substantial harm on the public,” the antiabortion group, the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, argued in the filing Tuesday shortly before a midnight deadline. (Pietsch, 4/12)
The Washington Post: White House Prepares For Legal And Political Battle On Abortion Pill
The Biden administration, seeking to reassure abortion rights activists without provoking the courts, is privately promising an array of liberal groups that it will wage a fierce legal battle to preserve access to abortion medication, while also developing contingency plans in case those efforts fall short. (Kornfield, Roubein and McGinley, 4/12)
The FDA feels the heat —
PBS NewsHour: Abortion Pill Ruling Opens Door To More Political Pressure On Medical Regulators
The country is closely watching how the battle over abortion medication unfolds in federal courts. It follows a Texas judge’s decision to overturn FDA approval of the mifepristone. But there’s also growing concern over what that ruling could mean for the drug approval process in general. Amna Nawaz discussed what's at stake with Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, the former FDA principal deputy commissioner. (Nawaz, 4/11)
Axios: Abortion Drug Ruling Could Fuel Mistrust In The FDA
Last week's federal court ruling overturning the FDA's approval of a commonly used abortion drug was unprecedented, but experts say it's evidence of an escalation of mistrust in the agency that's been building for years. (Owens, 4/12)
The Hill: Can The FDA Just Ignore The Texas Abortion Pill Ruling? Some Lawmakers Think So
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) have called for the FDA to ignore the opinion from U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk suspending the FDA’s approval of mifepristone. Federal officials have so far been cool to the suggestion; an official at Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said Monday it would set a “dangerous precedent.” However, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra has said all options remain on the table as the Biden administration seeks to protect access to standard abortion care. (Choi, 4/11)
Also —
Axios: Survey: Majority Of Americans Say Abortion Pills Should Be Legal
As the status of abortion pills in the U.S. remains influx, a majority of Americans say they believe such medication should be legal, a Pew Research Center survey found. 53% of adults believe medical abortion — the use of a prescription pill or a series of pills to end a pregnancy — should be allowed in their states. (Habeshian, 4/11)
CNN: 5 Things The Supreme Court Will Take Into Account In Medication Abortion Case
As the Supreme Court prepares for yet another controversial abortion case to come its way, the justices will pore over District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk's ruling last week to block the government's approval of the key medication abortion drug at issue. (de Vogue, 4/12)
