abortion pills

Health & Safety

New lawsuits target state restrictions on abortion pills

2:44pm January 25, 2023

by Matthew Perrone, Associated Press

Supporters of abortion rights filed separate lawsuits Wednesday challenging two states' abortion pill restrictions, the opening salvo in what’s expected to be a protracted legal battle over access

The Food and Drug Administration announced it has loosened some restrictions on the pill mifepristone, allowing it to be dispensed by more pharmacies and without an in-person exam.

Abortion pills should be easier to get. That doesn't mean that they will be

10:21am January 05, 2023

Changes by the FDA mean patients won't have to schedule in-person exams to get a prescription. That opens the door for more pharmacies to provide the medication. But not everyone will have access.

Boxes of the drug mifepristone sit on a shelf at the West Alabama Women's Center in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on March 16, 2022.

The FDA finalizes rule expanding the availability of abortion pills

11:04pm January 03, 2023

by The Associated Press

The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday finalized a rule change that broadens availability of abortion pills to many more pharmacies, including large chains and mail-order companies.

A Planned Parenthood of Montana clinic in Helena is among those that recently changed its policies to restrict its distribution of abortion pills only to patients from states without abortion bans in effect.

Montana clinics preemptively restrict out-of-state patients' access to abortion pills

5:00am July 07, 2022

Montana is an island of legal abortion, but four of the state's five clinics now restrict abortion pills from people in states with trigger bans to shield themselves and patients from legal attacks.

Julie Edwards, a patient advocacy program manager with Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi, had a self-managed abortion as a teenager and said they will become more common and can be safe.

Advocates struggle with how much they can help with self-managed abortions

12:37pm July 05, 2022

by Blake Farmer

Reproductive rights proponents worry about the risk of counseling those who seek medication abortions, though they've published online support techniques and guides for safe use of the drugs.

The drug misoprostol sits on a gynecological table at Casa Fusa, a health center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Friday, Jan. 22, 2021.

Instagram and Facebook begin removing posts offering abortion pills

10:24am June 28, 2022

by The Associated Press

Social media posts ostensibly aimed to help women living in states where preexisting laws banning abortion suddenly snapped into effect last Friday.

The abortion drug mifepristone was approved by the FDA more than 20 years ago. The FDA recently relaxed some of the rules for dispensing the drug. Now, some legislatures are trying to restrict access.

As medication abortion becomes dominant, red states restrict pills

6:01pm March 29, 2022

by Sarah McCammon

As access to abortion in clinics becomes limited across much of the country, many patients are turning to abortion pills. And conservative state lawmakers are taking notice.

Activists participate in a candlelight vigil for abortion rights near the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec, 13, 2021 in Washington, D.C.

The FDA could permanently lift some restrictions on abortion pills

5:30pm December 15, 2021

by Sarah McCammon

The abortion pill mifepristone was approved in 2000 but still faces layers of restrictions. Advocates want the FDA to permanently allow patients to receive the pill by mail instead of in person.

Queue Listen Now

Demonstrators rally against laws the limit access to abortion at the Texas State Capitol on October 2, 2021 in Austin, Texas. The Women's March and other groups organized marches across the country to protest a new abortion law in Texas.

Prescribing abortion pills online or mailing them in Texas can now land you in jail

1:42pm December 06, 2021

by Ashley Lopez

As the Supreme Court considers a case that could overturn Roe v. Wade, Texas enacted a new law imposing criminal penalties for those who prescribe medication abortions via telehealth or the mail.

In this photo illustration, a person looks at an abortion pill (RU-486) for unintended pregnancy from Mifepristone displayed on a smartphone on May 8, 2020, in Arlington, Va. Under federal law, even in states where telemedicine abortion is legal, there ar

More Patients Seek Abortion Pills Online During Pandemic, But Face Restrictions

3:18pm May 28, 2020

by Sarah McCammon

As more healthcare moves to online and telemedicine, some patients seeking abortions using pills are running into obstacles.