mifepristone

A patient prepares to take the first of two pills for a medication abortion during a visit to a clinic in Kansas City, Kan., on Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022.

Federal appeals court preserves access to abortion drug but with tighter rules

3:15am April 13, 2023

by The Associated Press

A federal appeals court has preserved access to an abortion drug for now but under tighter rules that would allow the drug only to be dispensed up to seven weeks, not 10, and not by mail.

A federal judge in Texas ruled that U.S. Food and Drug Administration improperly approved an abortion pill over 20 years ago, testing the agency's authority.

How an abortion pill ruling could threaten the FDA's regulatory authority

2:43pm April 11, 2023

by Rachel Treisman

A medical ethics expert says a Texas abortion pill ruling is unprecedented because a federal judge "standing in" for regulators could have far-reaching implications beyond mifepristone.

Queue Listen Now

Misoprostol is typically used as part of a two-drug protocol for a medication abortion. But it is also safe and effective when used alone, doctors say.

Health & Safety

Medication abortion is still possible with just one drug. Here's how it works

7:52pm April 10, 2023

by Mara Gordon

A judge's ruling puts access to the abortion drug mifepristone in limbo, pending further court decisions. But there's another drug that is safe and effective at ending early pregnancy.

Queue Listen Now

Mifepristone was approved more than 20 years ago to induce first-trimester abortions in combination with a second drug, misoprostol.

With abortion pill access uncertain, 3 states strike deals to stock up

2:00pm April 10, 2023

by Sarah McCammon

California, Washington state and Massachusetts are stockpiling misoprostol and mifepristone, both of which are used in abortion regimens.

Mifepristone is part of a two-drug protocol that a recent study showed was used in 98% of medication abortions in 2020.

Judges' dueling decisions put access to a key abortion drug in jeopardy nationwide

7:07am April 08, 2023

by Sarah McCammon

A federal judge in Texas stayed the FDA's approval of the drug mifepristone, while a federal judge in Washington state blocked any FDA change in access.

Queue Listen Now

Mifepristone is one of two pills used in medication abortions and is used in the vast majority of such abortions in the United State.

Washington state stockpiles thousands of abortion pills

5:12pm April 04, 2023

by Sarah McCammon

Democratic state officials say they're ready to dispense thousands of mifepristone doses if access to the pill becomes difficult as a result of a pending federal lawsuit.

The J. Marvin Jones Federal Building and Mary Lou Robinson United States Courthouse in Amarillo, Texas, where U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk will decide on a lawsuit over the abortion drug mifepristone.

Read the transcript: What happened inside the federal hearing on abortion pills

4:50pm March 17, 2023

by Sarah McCammon

Read the transcript from Wednesday's hearing before Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in a federal case that could decide the future of access to a major abortion pill.

Abortion-rights supporters rally at the Texas State Capitol on Sept. 11, 2021 in Austin, Texas.

National

Texas man sues ex-wife's friends for allegedly helping her get abortion pills

3:13pm March 11, 2023

by Sarah McCammon

A wrongful death lawsuit filed by a Galveston County man accuses three women of helping his ex-wife obtain abortion pills used to terminate her pregnancy last year.

Walgreens announced last week that it'd stop selling mifepristone, a popular abortion pill, in red states. California Gov. Gavin Newsom says his state will cut ties with the pharmacy giant after the move.

California will cut ties with Walgreens over the company's plan to drop abortion pills

3:43pm March 07, 2023

by Emily Olson

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said that the state would halt business with Walgreens after the pharmacy giant agreed to stop distributing mifepristone in some red states amid legal pressure.

A Walgreens pharmacy is pictured on Jan. 5 in New York City. Walgreens says it won't sell mifepristone in states where Republican attorneys general threatened legal action.

Walgreens won't sell abortion pills in red states that threatened legal action

4:19pm March 04, 2023

The 20 states where Walgreens won't sell mifepristone include some where abortion remains legal. It's not clear whether other retail pharmacies will follow suit.