World

US Abortion Pill Ruling: FDA Relaxes Regulations

Federal justices in Texas and Washington rendered conflicting decisions on Friday, escalating the legal conflict around abortion and a widely used medical abortion medication.

Since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal right to the procedure last year, the legal dispute over the drug mifepristone has heated up.

Mifepristone and misoprostol were approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2000. Mifepristone, one of two medications used to induce abortions, effectively terminates the pregnancy while misoprostol, the other medication, empties the uterus.

It is only approved for use up to 10 weeks of pregnancy, after which a woman must have an abortion using another method, such as vacuum aspiration.

Since the Supreme Court’s decision in June reversing the constitutional right to an abortion, at least 13 US states have outlawed the majority of abortions, including medication abortions.

The Democratic governor of Washington state disclosed last week that the state had a three-year supply of mifepristone on hand in case it became unavailable nationally.

A new law outlawing ‘abortion trafficking’ was signed a few days later by Idaho’s Republican governor. Adults are prohibited by law from assisting minors in leaving the country without parental permission in order to seek an abortion.

Two contradicting federal court decisions on Friday centered on the abortion pill.

In one decision, a federal court in Texas put a hold on the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the abortion pill while allowing the Justice Department a seven-day window to file an appeal.

Then, in a dramatic legal reversal on Friday night, a federal judge in Washington state ruled that the FDA must keep the abortion pill available in at least 12 liberal states.

The FDA has relaxed regulations on mifepristone in jurisdictions where abortion is permitted, enabling it to be shipped through the mail with a prescription or to be sold directly in pharmacies like any other drug.

Also read: Philippines Holds Bloody Crucifixion, Whipping On Good Friday

Spriha Rai

Recent Posts

ASEAN-India Alliance: A formidable Force Amidst Shifting Global Dynamics

The bilateral trade between India and ASEAN reached USD 86.9 billion in FY 2020-21, making…

1 year ago

India To Serve As Center For Green Hydrogen

By 2030, there will likely be a demand for more than 100 MMT of green…

1 year ago

How Bhutan’s Cross-Border Railway Connectivity With India Opens New Possibilities

Bhutan is gearing up to establish its first internationally connected cross-border railway with India’s north-eastern…

1 year ago

How Political Stability Under PM Modi Is Rocket-Fuelling New India

Opening his company’s first retail outlets in Mumbai and Delhi in May, Tim Cook, the…

1 year ago

COP28: INDIA’S IMPACTFUL ROLE

India’s robust engagement in COP28 amplifies its powerful message on the world stage. At this…

1 year ago

B20: INDIA’S VISION AND ACTION

The B20’s endeavors are carried out through Task Forces (TFs) and Action Councils (ACs), entrusted…

1 year ago