Supreme Court restores access to abortion pill mifepristone through telehealth, mail and pharmacies
Last edited Mon May 4, 2026, 11:37 AM - Edit history (1)
Source: AP
Updated 10:55 AM EDT, May 4, 2026
WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court on Monday restored broad access to the abortion pill mifepristone, blocking a ruling that had threatened to upend one of the main ways abortion is provided across the nation.
The order signed by Justice Samuel Alito temporarily allows women seeking abortions to obtain the pill at pharmacies or through the mail, without an in-person visit to a doctor.
Those rules had been in effect for several years until a federal appeals court imposed new restrictions last week.
The majority of abortions in the U.S. are obtained through medications, usually a combination of mifepristone and a second drug, misoprostol. Their availability has blunted the impact of abortion bans that most Republican-led states have started enforcing since a 2022 Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade and allowed for state bans.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pills-mifepristone-supreme-court-louisiana-0533e83d67148fdfec53b1d0d30c1e8a
Link to ORDER (PDF) - https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/050426zr1_f2bh.pdf
(SCOTUSBlog to the rescue for a link!)
RussBLib
(10,772 posts)But this decision was expected, if any SCOTUS moves are predictable.
Did they use the Shadow Docket for this one?
https://russblib.blogspot.com/?m=1
LetMyPeopleVote
(182,542 posts)Yeah
BattleRow
(2,726 posts)jfz9580m
(17,910 posts)One way life is less hellish for American women.
riversedge
(81,664 posts)BumRushDaShow
(172,712 posts)Most of the rest are still in the "requesting a stay" stage in their articles. Have been frantically searching for an upload of what would probably be a one pager "Administrative stay" from Alito.
cbabe
(6,866 posts)Scrivener7
(60,117 posts)cyndensco
(1,772 posts)onenote
(46,248 posts)Alito, to ,whom the petition was directed granted the administrative stay and set a deadline for Louisiana to respond to the request that the Fifth Circuit's order be reversed. After the response is filed, the rest of the justices will consider the matter and decide whether to deny the stay request or grant it pending full review of the Fifth Circuit decision.
Scrivener7
(60,117 posts)onenote
(46,248 posts)If he had denied the request outright, the petitioners could and would have gone to any other justice and presumably gotten the requested administrative stay, or potentially, but unlikely, even broader relief. In all likelihood, after Louisiana files its response on Thursday, Alito will refer the matter to the full Court, which will decide what action to take.
Scrivener7
(60,117 posts)JustABozoOnThisBus
(24,737 posts)... to send a granddaughter on a "shopping trip" to London, Paris, Toronto, etc.
The ban is a mere inconvenience for the well-off.
Scrivener7
(60,117 posts)JustABozoOnThisBus
(24,737 posts)... when the Supreme Court makes a decision, usually 6-3 in the wrong direction. I expect no improvement on this issue.
Scrivener7
(60,117 posts)lostincalifornia
(5,586 posts)yankee87
(2,865 posts)Republican Party wants to be involved with every part of your life.
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AZJonnie
(4,073 posts)Heard that from a pretty good source, who's usually accurate
BumRushDaShow
(172,712 posts)Grins
(9,542 posts)2nd paragraph.
Its not over, for the Christian zealots its never over.
DemocracyForever
(225 posts)It's time to call out the "Christian zealots" because the actual facts are that the word abortion is not found in the bible and Jesus never said the word abortion. Methods for abortion have been recorded since 5000 B.C. and abortion was very common in the Jewish culture in Jesus's time.
Buzz cook
(2,923 posts)If a husband suspects his wife is pregnant from adultery. He takes here to the temple and the priest gives her a drink. If she is guilty she looses the fetus.
That's not to mention when god commands that babies be ripped from the wombs of various people groups that he doesn't like.
Zackzzzz
(398 posts)DemocracyForever
(225 posts)Why do you think Jesus taught, "love thy neighbor as thyself"?
Buzz cook
(2,923 posts)His followers have committed lots of horrific stuff.
Ye shall know them by their fruits. Matthew 7:16
DemocracyForever
(225 posts)The book "The separation of church and hate" by John Fuglsang does a great job of documenting this. I urge you to read this book.
J_William_Ryan
(3,597 posts)The Republican Party wants to interfere with every part of your life.
More government, bigger government at the expense of individual liberty.
BurnDoubt
(1,913 posts)But its those Godless Democrats who want to interfere with your life.
Socialism is coming for yer Libirdies.
EnergizedLib
(3,167 posts)Even if they side against the Fifth, this is a court that makes one good decision out of 10 with the other nine being abysmal, horrific decisions.
FakeNoose
(42,543 posts)This is a drug that will be administered through a doctor's care, and handled responsibly by medical professionals. I can't see this turning into the next "Viagra" ... ever! If I'm correct then SCOTUS made the correct decision.
Response to BumRushDaShow (Original post)
Post removed
Buddyzbuddy
(2,930 posts)And then, has to go home and face his religious zealot nut job wife. Time to run some more flags up her pole.
1WorldHope
(2,171 posts)Thank God so is the great orange one.