A divided Supreme Court on Thursday indefinitely extended a freeze on strict new restrictions for dispensing the widely used abortion pill mifepristone while an underlying legal fight over the drug plays out. Why it matters: The widely expected order provides legal certainty for pharmacies, telehealth companies and clinicians caught up in the latest battle over accessing the pill. - Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented. - Teleprescribing and mailing of abortion drugs now account for more than 60% of all abortions in the health system. Driving the news: Alito had issued two earlier stays freezing a ruling by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that would have required patients to see a provider in person before getting…
The Supreme Court extended a freeze Monday on new restrictions for dispensing the widely used abortion pill mifepristone , allowing the continued mail-order prescribing of the drug. Why it matters: The extension, which runs through 5 p.m. Thursday, provides a reprieve for pharmacies, telehealth companies and clinicians caught up in the latest legal tussle over accessing the pill. Driving the news: Justice Samuel Alito extended a stay he granted a week ago in response to requests from drugmakers Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro to restore access to mifepristone via teleprescribing and the mails. - Anti-abortion advocates have been calling for a rollback of a Biden administration policy that expanded access to mifepristone and removed a…
The Supreme Court temporarily restored mail-order prescribing of the widely used abortion drug mifepristone Monday, pausing an appeals court decision that dramatically limited access to the pills. Why it matters: The stay of at least one week issued by Justice Samuel Alito doesn't settle an underlying legal challenge to rules for dispensing the drug that could make abortion access a top-tier issue heading into the midterms. - But it's likely to reduce confusion among pharmacies, telehealth firms and providers over what's allowed, even in states where abortion is legal. Driving the news: The stay was in response to requests from drugmakers Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro to restore access to mifepristone via teleprescribing and the…