Supreme Court lets mifepristone stay available by mail as courts and states keep fighting
The gist
The Supreme Court blocked a 5th Circuit ruling, keeping mifepristone available by mail without an in-person visit.
Courts, states and a federal safety review are contesting the pill at once.
How it unfolded
- 2021 (late)Dr. Tarah Ballinger, a professor at Indiana University's medical school, launched a clinical trial testing whether mifepristone could prevent breast cancer in patients with the high-risk BRCA genetic mutation.
- May 1, 2026The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily reinstated a requirement that mifepristone be dispensed in person, in a case filed against the FDA by Louisiana.
- May 1, 2026Danco Laboratories asked the Supreme Court to pause the ruling, temporarily restoring access to the pill.