Abortion providers are outraged over the decision by a federal judge in Texas to block the use of mifepristone. The drug is the first of a two-step regimen in most medical abortions; it’s also used in miscarriage care. The drug misoprostol is given in the second step of a medical abortion. If mifepristone is ultimately banned by court order, patients would only be allowed to take misoprostol.
“This isn’t just a threat to medication abortion access. it really undermines the way our government is meant to function. Never before has one court taken on the FDA and a decision that was made over 20 years ago,” said Roxanne Sutocky, director of public affairs for The Women’s Centers.
Mifepristone is still available in New Jersey until the Food and Drug Administration’s appeal to the 5th Circuit Court in Louisiana is decided. The U.S. Department of Justice is asking the court to render its decision by Thursday, one day before the ban is scheduled to go into effect.
