medication abortion

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.

The entrance of Barnard College in New York City.

Barnard College will offer abortion pills for students

5:01am October 07, 2022

by Jaclyn Diaz

The move is a direct response to the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade. Though Barnard is in New York, where abortion access hasn't been restricted, the college wants to be prepared.

Protesters line the street June 4 around the front of the Nebraska State Capitol during an Abortion Rights Rally in Lincoln, Neb.

National

A Nebraska woman is charged with helping her daughter have an abortion

10:23am August 10, 2022

by The Associated Press

Police say that in Facebook messages they've obtained, Jessica Burgess tells her 17-year-old daughter that she has abortion pills to end her 24-week pregnancy. They're both charged with felonies.

Mifepristone (Mifeprex) and Misoprostol, the two drugs used in a medication abortion, can also be prescribed for other medical uses. However some pharmacists have refused to fill prescriptions for them.

Health & Safety

Pharmacies may violate civil rights if they refuse meds linked to abortion, feds warn

4:13pm July 13, 2022

by Carrie Feibel

Pharmacists refusing to fill prescriptions for medications used for abortion could be violating civil rights law. The meds are also used to treat miscarriages, arthritis and ulcers.

President Biden addresses the nation Friday following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Biden must take stronger action on abortion, Senate Democrats say

7:17pm June 25, 2022

by Sarah McCammon

With Roe v. Wade overturned, Senate Democrats want Biden to use presidential power to ease abortion access and protect those who seek the procedures. But he has limited options.

People gather Tuesday at the Utah State Capitol to rally in support of abortion rights in Salt Lake City.

Removing federal abortion-rights protections may spark new legal fights between states

1:12pm May 05, 2022

by Rachel Treisman

Some state lawmakers are working to deter residents from seeking abortions elsewhere, or to punish those who help them do so. Delivery of abortion medication by mail could become another battleground.

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.

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.

In this photo illustration, a person looks at an Abortion Pill (RU-486) for unintended pregnancy from Mifepristone displayed on a computer on May 8 in Arlington, Va.

Medical Groups Ask FDA To Ease Access To Abortion Pill During The Pandemic

5:27pm May 27, 2020

by Sarah McCammon

Reproductive rights advocates want patients to be allowed to pick up mifepristone at a hospital or clinic. The drug, which was approved 20 years ago, also helps to manage miscarriages for some women.