Trump-appointed judge revives suit to restrict abortion pills access in latest salvo on reproductive rights

Source: The Independent

Wednesday 22 January 2025 13:51 EST


A federal judge revived a lawsuit challenging access to the abortion drug mifepristone just days before the 52nd anniversary of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision. After the Supreme Court overturned Roe in 2022, anti-abortion advocates launched a barrage of litigation, including a federal suit in Texas aimed at mifepristone, one drug in a two-drug regimen used in medication abortions.

Months after the Supreme Court threw out a challenge to mifepristone’s FDA approval, a federal judge in Texas on Thursday allowed a 2022 lawsuit to be revived, potentially opening the floodgates for restricted access. The widely-used drug was approved by the Food and Drug Administration 25 years ago. However, the FDA has eased restrictions on the drug.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who was appointed by President Donald Trump during his first term, ruled last Thursday that three states — Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho — can resurrect the case. The states had requested to amend the complaint in October. They argue that eased restrictions on the drug impact abortion restrictions in their states.

The defendants — the FDA and mifepristone distributor Danco Laboratories — had argued that the case should be dismissed because the plaintiffs lacked venue in the Northern District of Texas.

Read more: https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-judge-abortion-pills-roe-anniversary-b2684433.html