A US appeals court has temporarily halted the distribution of the abortion medication mifepristone by mail, requiring patients across the country to obtain the drug in person from approved health facilities.
The decision was issued by a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in response to a lawsuit filed by the state of Louisiana against the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Under the ruling, pharmacies and mail-order services are barred from distributing mifepristone, a medication widely used in abortion care in the United States.
Danco Laboratories, one of the drug’s manufacturers, has requested a temporary pause of the order while it prepares to challenge the decision at the Supreme Court of the United States.
The appeals court’s move overturns an earlier lower court ruling that had allowed continued mail distribution of the drug pending an FDA regulatory review.
First approved by the FDA in 2000, mifepristone is the most commonly used method for abortion in the US and is also prescribed for early miscarriage management. It is typically used alongside misoprostol to terminate pregnancies within the first 70 days.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill praised the ruling, describing it as a major win for anti-abortion efforts.
However, reproductive rights advocates strongly criticized the decision. Nancy Northup argued that the ruling prioritizes restricting access over scientific evidence, while legal experts from the American Civil Liberties Union warned it could create confusion for patients and healthcare providers.
The case adds to the ongoing national debate over abortion access following the 2022 Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, which overturned federal protections for abortion rights and allowed states to impose their own restrictions.
Currently, around 20 US states have enacted laws limiting or banning abortion, even as public opinion polls indicate that a majority of Americans support continued access to safe abortion services.
