Supreme Court upholds FDA regulation of popular abortion drug Mifepristone

The Supreme Court upholds the FDA’s regulation of the popular abortion drug Mifepristone. On June 13, the Supreme Court ruled against a group of doctors who challenged Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations regarding the abortion pill mifepristone. CBS reports that the case once again highlighted access to abortion following the conservative majority’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022. The court unanimously ruled that a group of doctors and medical associations fighting for abortion rights had no standing to challenge the FDA. . However, the court also did not address whether the FDA’s decision to relax the rules on the use of mifepristone was lawful. . The author of the latest ruling is Judge Brett Kavanaugh. . Pursuant to Art. III of the Constitution, the plaintiff’s desire to make the drug less available to others does not constitute grounds for filing a lawsuit. , Justice Brett Kavanaugh writes to the court via CBS. Nor are other stable theories of reason sufficient. Therefore, the plaintiffs do not have standing to challenge the FDA’s actions, Justice Brett Kavanaugh said on behalf of the court, via CBS. CBS reports that the ruling does not affect other challenges to the FDA’s position on mifepristone, while maintaining access to the popular abortion drug. In 2016 and 2021, the FDA took steps to expand access to mifepristone, which has been used by more than 5 million patients since it was first approved in 2000. These measures included allowing the medicine to be used until the 10th week of pregnancy, which reduced the risk of the number of in-person doctor visits, and enabling mail order sales.