Health Matters

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Protecting access to mifepristone

By Alice Park

Senior Health Correspondent

In the continuing battle between society and science, the Supreme Court is set to decide the fate of the abortion pill mifepristone, which is used in around half of abortions in the U.S. The justices are facing a self-imposed Friday night deadline to determine whether restrictions on mifepristone access imposed by a Texas judge remain in place or are removed.

Even legal experts aren’t sure what to expect in the coming months, as the courts decide whether access to the drug will stay unchanged or be restricted.

In states where abortion is legal, governors are stockpiling mifepristone. That’s because even if the drug remains approved, the Supreme Court could prevent it from being prescribed across state lines or shipped by mail.
Some governors are purchasing another drug, misoprostol, which is generally taken with mifepristone to induce abortion but can also be used alone.
Some state legislators are passing laws to protect doctors who prescribe abortion pills from higher malpractice premiums or other sanctions.

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AN EXPERT VOICE

"[Maybe] in 10 years we can call different forms of depression different things and treat them differently because of genes, or your brain imaging. We don't have that yet, but people are working on that."

—Dr. Jessica Gold, psychiatrist with the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

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Today's newsletter was written by Alice Park and Jamie Ducharme, and edited by Angela Haupt.

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"[Maybe] in 10 years we can call different forms of depression different things and treat them differently because of genes, or your brain imaging. We don't have that yet, but people are working on that."

—Dr. Jessica Gold, psychiatrist with the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis