A Court Just Banned Mailing Abortion Pills. It's Now Heading Straight to the Supreme Court.
In what legal experts are calling the biggest jolt to abortion access since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a federal appeals court ruled that the most widely used abortion pill in America can no longer be prescribed online or mailed to patients.
The ruling overturns regulations that have been in place since the pandemic, when the government determined that women could safely access mifepristone through telehealth without an in-person visit. Medication abortion now accounts for roughly two-thirds of all abortions in the United States.
The Ruling and What It Changes
In what legal experts are calling the biggest jolt to abortion access since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, a federal appeals court ruled that the most widely used abortion pill in America can no longer be prescribed online or mailed to patients. It must now be obtained in person at a clinic — nationwide.
The ruling overturns regulations that have been in place since the pandemic, when the government determined that women could safely access mifepristone through telehealth without an in-person visit. Medication abortion now accounts for roughly two-thirds of all abortions in the United States.
The Case Behind the Ruling
The case was brought by Louisiana, which argued that allowing the pill to be mailed into the state effectively bypassed its abortion ban. The court agreed, writing that every abortion facilitated by the current rules "cancels Louisiana's ban" on medical abortion.
Immediate Nationwide Impact
The effect was immediate and nationwide — not just in states with bans. Patients who had planned to pick up a mifepristone prescription at their local pharmacy found they suddenly could not, regardless of which state they live in.
Advocates warn that the hardest-hit will be people in rural areas, those with low incomes, people with disabilities, and survivors of domestic violence — anyone for whom physically reaching a clinic is difficult or impossible.
On Its Way to the Supreme Court
The pill's manufacturers went directly to the Supreme Court within 24 hours, asking for an emergency order to pause the ruling. The highest court in the country will now decide whether to intervene — and the full legal battle is only just beginning.