The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily extended access to mifepristone, the abortion pill, suspending a previous ruling that prohibited its delivery.

The U.S. Supreme Court decided on Thursday to temporarily maintain access to mifepristone, an essential medication for abortions, suspending a ruling from the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that would have restricted its delivery. This ruling was the result of a lawsuit filed by the state of Louisiana, known for its strict anti-abortion laws. Danco Laboratories and GenBioPro, the manufacturers of mifepristone, requested the Supreme Court's intervention to suspend the restriction order. Conservative justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas opposed the suspension decision. Mifepristone, approved by the FDA in 2000, is also used for managing miscarriages, but anti-abortion activists contest its safety. Nancy Northup, president of the Center for Reproductive Rights, welcomed the decision but emphasized that access to mifepristone remains vulnerable. Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, over 20 states have restricted abortion, despite the majority of the population supporting the maintenance of access to safe abortions.