By If/When/How
On Friday, May 1, a federal appeals court temporarily restricted access to medication abortion nationwide. This ruling ends the ability for providers to dispense mifepristone by telehealth and mail, but it does not make it a crime to use abortion pills to end a pregnancy.
Then on Monday, May 4 the Supreme Court ruled that all medication abortion pills are currently available through telehealth and mail across the country until May 11, 2026. This blocks the previous decision that came last Friday through a federal court that prevented healthcare providers from prescribing and mailing mifepristone.
The Supreme Court ruling that extends access to mifepristone will expire on May 11, 2026 at 5pm E.T. We don’t know what will happen after that.
This is temporary good news, AND no one should have to live by the courts whims from day to day or week to week. Abortion is time-sensitive and there are people who needed medication over the weekend, who need it right now, and will need it after May 11.
People who need abortion shouldn’t have to sift through court rulings and headlines every day to understand what the law says about their ability to get health care.
Here’s what we do know:
- Mifepristone is safe and effective. The federal court’s ruling had nothing to do with making people safer.
- This back and forth news is confusing and worrying to people who need abortions today and tomorrow and after.
- Roughly two-thirds of abortion seekers rely on medication abortion. Blocking providers from prescribing it through telehealth and the mail will undermine access to the way most people have sought abortions since the Dobbs decision in 2023.
In fact, we’ve already received calls about this ruling from people who are worried about what this means for getting an abortion. We need people to know they are not alone.
You can help. Spread the word about these organizations that are here to help folks navigate this legal minefield.
- If you have legal questions about what this means for your abortion, call our Repro Legal Helpline for confidential, free legal services. Or help us spread the word about our Helpline.
- If you need help finding an abortion, go to ineedana.com or plancpills.org.
- If you need help finding the money for an abortion, reach out to your local abortion fund.
- If you have medical questions about your abortion or miscarriage, call the M+A Hotline.
We should all be free to live in our bodies, to build our families, to raise our children without fear, without threats, without punishment.