US Supreme Court Temporarily Extends Access To Abortion Drug

US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito temporarily put on hold a lower court ruling that limits access to abortion drugs after an emergency request was filed by US Justice Department and Danco Lab

US Supreme Court has temporarily allowed an extension to the access to abortion drug

US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has temporarily put a hold on a ruling by the lower court which limits the access to abortion drug mifepristone giving the apex court some time to weigh a bid by President Joe Biden’s administration to defend the drug amid challenges anti-abortion groups. As per a Reuters report, the Chief Justice maintained the current availability of mifepristone till a further order is passed by him or the entire court. 

The halt came after US Justice Department and mifepristone manufacturer Danco Laboratories filed emergency requests earlier on Friday seeking a freeze on an April 7 preliminary injunction by Texas-based U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk that would greatly restrict mifepristone's distribution while litigation contesting its federal regulatory approval proceeds.

The Justice Department argued that lower court’s order last week that imposes limitation on use of mifepristone would have "sweeping consequences" for women who need access to it and the FDA's scientific judgment authority over drug safety.

Danco also said it may be forced to halt operations in the face of regulatory uncertainty.

Alito ordered the freeze just hours before the restrictions were due to have taken effect and directed the challengers to respond by Tuesday to the requests by the Justice Department and Danco while delaying the restrictions from taking effect until 11:59 p.m. EDT (0359 GMT) on Wednesday.

As per the report, the court is expected to issue another order on the matter by that time. 

Amid a mounting demand on abortion bans and restrictions placed by Republican-led states, the administration is seeking to defend the availability of mifepristone. 

In their filings, the Justice Department and Danco told the justices the abortion drug might not be available for months if the restrictions were allowed to take effect.

Approved by the US Food and Drug Administration — U.S. agency that approves safety of food products, drugs and medical devices — in 2000, mifepristone is used in combination with another drug called misoprostol to perform medication abortions, which account for more than half of all U.S. abortions.