Supreme Court extends access to abortion pills until Friday: Justices keep block on Texas judge’s controversial mifepristone ruling – for now
- Stay order by Justice Alito moves the deadline until just before midnight Friday
- Federal judge in Texas would have banned mifepristone permanently
- Appeals court blocked a ban on the pill, but imposed tough restrictions
The Supreme Court has extended access to an abortion pill until just before midnight on Friday.
In an order signed by Justice Samuel Alito on Wednesday, the court indicated it will act by Friday night – but gave no explanation as to why the court put off a more lasting decision.
The justices had given themselves a deadline on Wednesday in a fast-moving case from Texas in which abortion opponents are seeking to roll back Food and Drug Administration-approved mifepristone – one of the most common methods of medical abortion in the United States.
The Supreme Court has extended access to abortion pills until Friday
The case stems from a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk earlier this month that would have banned mifepristone, which the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved in 2000 and accounts for more than half of all medical abortions in the United States.
An appeals court blocked a ban on the pill, but imposed tough restrictions on access, after which the baton was handed to the Supreme Court.
Generic drug maker GenBioPro Inc, based in Nevada, filed a lawsuit Wednesday naming the FDA as it seeks to keep selling its product during the legal fight.
Part of the ruling restricted approval of the drug to the first seven weeks of pregnancy. Opponents argued that many women often do not know they are pregnant during that time.
The Supreme Court, where conservatives wield a 6-3 majority, on Friday temporarily stayed the lower court rulings as it weighs what to do next.
Both the Biden Administration and drugmaker Danco Laboratories sought to overturn the lower court’s ruling.
The court action is just the latest since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last summer, setting off political clashes in Washington and state houses around the country.
Democrats credit the fight over abortion rights with aiding in their better than expected performance in House races in November, though Republicans still captured the majority.
The White House is preparing to act whenever a final ruling comes in.
‘This is a high priority. We’re clearly keeping a close eye on this and what the decisions — what decisions may come down from this,’ said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Wednesday.
‘We are prepared for any outcome the Supreme Court may — may issue, and we are prepared for a long legal fight if necessary,’ she added.
