Supreme Court considers abortion pill accessibility

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - A landmark abortion case hits the Supreme Court this week, where Justices will decide whether to limit access to an FDA-approved abortion pill.

According to a study by the Guttmacher Institute, abortion pills accounted for 63 percent of all pregnancy terminations last year.  With the dawn of Telehealth, acquiring these pills is easier than ever.  Now, pro-life groups are suing to put a stop to it.

Back in 2016, and 2021, the FDA rolled back requirements for in-person doctor visits to get the abortion pill Mifepristone.

It allowed women to take the drug, which induces a miscarriage, from the privacy of their own homes.

The groups behind the lawsuit says the woman taking the medication should be doctor-monitored for safety.

“There’s a requirement of the woman having been seen by a physician checking out the gestational age, determining whether or not she has an ectopic pregnancy,” said Mary Browning, a Legal Advisor at Operation Outcry.

Jaclyn Serpico with the UCLA Center on Reproductive Health Law argues the guardrails are not needed.

“There is really a lot of evidence here that shows that this drug is extremely safe, and extremely effective. The reason why these regulations were removed is because they were found to be unnecessary for patient safety,” said Serpico.

The case is the latest battle in the two year fight post-Roe.

Serpico says It’s a decision that will impact the entire US, regardless of state law.

“it would roll back the clock and reinstate burdensome restrictions and postpone that would reduce access even in states that have taken steps to protect abortion.”

Oral arguments are Tuesday, with a decision expected by June.

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