Supreme Court Appears Likely to Preserve Access to Abortion Pill

The Supreme Court justices appeared skeptical of arguments against the abortion pill mifepristone while hearing arguments on Tuesday, signaling that they likely will not roll back access to the drug.

For Context: This is the first major abortion case heard by the justices since the court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 and deemed abortion access to not be a constitutional right. Last year, nearly two-thirds of all abortion in the United States were carried out by means of abortion pills. The Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian conservative group involved in efforts to overturn Roe, brought the case, arguing that since the pills can be transported by mail, they allow individuals in anti-abortion states to bypass restrictions.

Details: Outlets across the spectrum agreed that the justices appeared inclined to preserve access to mifepristone. During the arguments, the justices questioned the legal standing on which the Alliance Defending Freedom was challenging the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone and subsequent actions increasing access to the drug.

How the Media Covered It: Outlets across the spectrum emphasized the potential impacts of the court’s ruling on politics and healthcare. The Associated Press (Lean Left bias) noted the “dramatic” consequences should the justices rule in favor of abortion opponents, including “possibly halting the delivery of mifepristone through the mail” and “ending increasingly popular telehealth visits at which the drug can be prescribed.” Fox News (Right bias) noted that “the political implications could be immediate and seismic in the November elections.”