WASHINGTON — Attorney General Merrick Garland said the Biden administration will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to protect the availability of a widely used abortion pill after a federal appeals court cleared the way for new restrictions to take effect Friday.
“We will be seeking emergency relief from the Supreme Court to defend the FDA’s scientific judgment and protect Americans’ access to safe and effective reproductive care,” Garland said in a statement.
The announcement comes after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals late Wednesday partially stayed a ruling that would have suspended mifepristone’s approval by the Food and Drug Administration. Under the appeals court order, mifepristone would remain an option for many patients, but it could no longer be prescribed after the seventh week of pregnancy or dispensed by mail.
