Supreme Court allows abortion pill to remain available by mail nationwide

The Supreme Court ensured that the abortion pill, mifepristone, can continue to be available by mail without an in-person meeting with a clinician.

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court ensured Thursday that the abortion pill mifepristone can continue to be available by mail without an in-person appointment with a clinician.

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A ruling by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on May 1 had imperiled widespread access to the pill. Now, the Supreme Court has granted emergency requests brought by drugmakers Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro seeking to block that ruling.

The decision, a loss for the state of Louisiana, ensures there will not be any disruption to the availability of the drug as litigation continues. On May 4, in an order issued by conservative Justice Samuel Alito, the court had provisionally put the appeals court ruling on hold while the justices considered their next steps.