The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that mifepristone, a key drug in medication abortion, can still be prescribed via telehealth and mailed to patients—at least for the time being.
The decision reverses a previous order from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which had prohibited providers from remotely prescribing or mailing mifepristone. That order came after a tumultuous weekend in April when the appeals court reinstated restrictions on the drug’s distribution.
The legal battle centers on a challenge by the State of Louisiana, which argues that telehealth prescribing of mifepristone undermines the state’s strict abortion ban. The 5th Circuit had reinstated former Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) rules, which the FDA removed in 2021, pending resolution of the case.
However, the Supreme Court’s latest order temporarily halts those restrictions while the litigation continues. The case remains ongoing, leaving the future of telehealth abortion access uncertain.
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