Could a Texas judge halt abortion pill access, even in states with protections?
ATLANTA — A conservative federal judge in Texas is poised to rule in a lawsuit that could disrupt abortion access across the nation — including in states with strong abortion protections such as California — by halting distribution of a key abortion pill.
“Ironically, the case is filed in Texas, but the impact will be felt entirely in states that permit abortion,” said Elisabeth Smith, an attorney who directs state policy and advocacy at the Center for Reproductive Rights.
The lawsuit, filed in November on behalf of several anti-abortion groups and doctors, alleges that the drug, mifepristone, is not safe for use in medication abortion. The complaint claims the U.S. Food and Drug Administration “chose politics over science” when it approved the drug more than two decades ago.
About 54% of abortions nationwide rely on a two-drug combination of mifepristone and misoprostol. In January, the FDA finalized a new rule that broadened access to abortion pills by allowing patients to receive medication by mail after a telemedicine appointment with a certified provider.
If the Trump-appointed judge, Matthew Kacsmaryk, rules the FDA’s approval of mifepristone was unlawful, women in the U.S.
