POLISCOPE
Back to feed
NewsMother JonesMay 1, 2026United States

Appeals Court Blocks Telemedicine Access to Abortion Pill

A federal appeals court has temporarily reinstated an in-person requirement for obtaining the abortion medication mifepristone, effectively halting telemedicine prescriptions for the drug nationwide. The ruling blocks 2023 FDA rules that allowed providers to mail the medication to patients, though the decision is expected to face further appeals to the Supreme Court.

abortiontelemedicinemifepristoneFDAFifth Circuit Court of Appealsreproductive rights
Read the full story at Mother Jones

Why It Matters

The ruling removes the option for patients to receive via mail-order telemedicine, requiring an in-person medical visit to obtain the medication for the duration of the .

Key Facts

  • The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 3-0 injunction against 2023 FDA rule changes that allowed for the remote prescription and mailing of mifepristone.
  • The ruling reinstates the requirement that mifepristone must be dispensed in-person by a medical provider.
  • The injunction applies nationwide, affecting telemedicine providers who previously mailed the drug to patients.
  • The ruling does not affect misoprostol, the second drug used in the standard two-pill abortion protocol.
  • The court argued that the FDA's 2023 rule change caused 'irreparable' injury to Louisiana by undermining state laws and increasing Medicaid costs for emergency care.
  • Mifepristone accounts for nearly two-thirds of all abortions in the United States.
  • More than 25% of abortions in the U.S. currently occur via telemedicine.
  • Danco Laboratories has requested the US Supreme Court to block the Fifth Circuit's ruling.
  • The FDA's 2023 rule change had allowed telehealth providers to send medication to patients in states where abortion is banned.
  • The injunction is temporary, pending further legal proceedings.

Who's Mentioned

personDavid Joseph“US District Judge who previously put the lawsuit on hold.”organizationDanco Laboratories“Manufacturer of mifepristone that appealed to the Supreme Court.”organizationGenBioPro“A second manufacturer of mifepristone expected to file an appeal.”organizationFifth Circuit Court of Appeals“The court that issued the injunction against the FDA's 2023 rule changes.”personLiz Murrill“Louisiana Attorney General who filed the lawsuit.”personStuart Kyle Duncan“US Circuit Judge who wrote the court's opinion.”