Supreme Court allows abortion pill to remain available by mail nationwide

BREAKING NEWSMay. 14, 2026, 9:30 PM UTCAbortion RightsAbortion RightsSupreme Court allows abortion pill to remain available by mail nationwideThe decision indefinitely blocks an appeals court ruling that would have restricted availability of the drug, especially in states with strict anti-abortion laws.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Mifepristone is used as part of a two-drug FDA-approved regimen that is now the most common form of abortion in the U.S.Natalie Behring / Getty Images fileShareAdd NBC News to GoogleBy Lawrence HurleyWASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday ensured that the abortion pill mifepristone can continue to be available by mail without an in-person appointment with a clinician.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.A ruling by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on May 1 had imperiled widespread access to the pill. Now, the Supreme Court has granted emergency requests brought by drugmakers Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro seeking to block that ruling.Two conservative members of the court, Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Samuel Alito, dissented.The decision, a loss for the state of Louisiana, ensures there will not be any disruption to the availability of the drug as litigation continues. On May 4, in an order issued by conservative Justice Samuel Alito, the court had provisionally put the appeals court ruling on hold while the justices considered their next steps.Add NBC News to GoogleMakers of mifepristone challenge ruling restricting access to drug07:09The underlying case involves Louisiana’s challenge to a 2023 decision made by the Food and Drug Administration during the Biden administration that allows mifepristone to be administered without an in-person appointment, allowing access to the drug even in states where abortion is banned.The move, made after the Supreme Court overturned abortion rights landmark Roe v. Wade a year earlier,...