Key takeaways:
- A U.S. District Court judge in Texas found that the FDA’s approval of mifepristone was illegal, and the ruling was stayed for seven days.
- The ruling was issued by Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a former anti-abortion lawyer.
- The Biden administration has stated that it will not ignore the ruling, but has not yet announced what action it will take.
On Friday night, two federal rulings regarding the abortion drug mifepristone caused a stir in the United States. The first ruling, issued by a U.S. District Court judge in Texas, found that the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of mifepristone more than two decades ago was illegal. The judge stayed the ruling for seven days, and the Department of Justice immediately appealed the ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit. The second ruling ordered the FDA to maintain the status quo of the drug’s availability for more than a dozen states involved.
The decision revoking the approval came from Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, a constant Biden administration foe and former anti-abortion lawyer. In response, some Democrats, including Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), have called on the Biden administration to effectively ignore the ruling.
The Biden administration has stated that it will not ignore the ruling, but has not yet announced what action it will take. The administration has been lobbied by both sides of the issue, with abortion rights activists urging the administration to fight the ruling and anti-abortion activists urging the administration to accept the ruling.
The FDA has not yet commented on the ruling, but the agency is expected to make a statement soon. The ruling has sparked a debate over the future of abortion access in the United States, and the Biden administration’s response will be closely watched. It remains to be seen what action the administration will take in response to the ruling.
Be First to Comment