Adedokun Waliyu 
A United States appeals court has temporarily halted the delivery of mifepristone by mail, requiring patients to obtain the drug in person from clinics.
The ruling was issued by a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in a case brought by the state of Louisiana against the Food and Drug Administration. The decision overturns a lower court order that had allowed continued mail distribution while the FDA reviewed its policies.
The order means that women seeking abortion care across the United States must now access the medication physically, rather than through pharmacies or postal delivery.
Danco Laboratories, one of the companies that distributes the drug, has requested a temporary pause on the ruling to allow time to file an emergency appeal at the US Supreme Court. The company warned that the decision could create confusion for patients and pharmacies.
Mifepristone, approved by the FDA in 2000, is widely used for abortion care and for managing early miscarriage. It is typically used alongside another drug to terminate pregnancies up to 70 days.
Supporters of the ruling argue for stricter oversight of the medication, while critics say the move is not based on scientific evidence and will make access to care more difficult.
The decision comes amid ongoing legal and political battles over abortion in the United States, where several states have imposed restrictions following the 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade.
In 2024, the Supreme Court had rejected a previous attempt to restrict access to mifepristone, ruling that the challengers lacked legal standing.
