The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a challenge to the abortion pill Mifepristone, meaning the widely used drug can remain widely available.
By decision 9-0The Court found that a group of anti-abortion doctors who challenged decisions by the Food and Drug Administration to facilitate access to the pill did not have standing to bring the lawsuit.
Writing to the Court, Judge Brett Kavanaugh stated that although the plaintiffs, consisting of doctors and other health care professionals represented by Alliance Defense of Freedomhave “sincere legal, moral, ideological, and political objections to elective abortion and the FDA’s relaxed mifepristone regulations,” that doesn’t mean they have a federal case.
Kavanaugh also pointed out that the plaintiffs had failed to show that they suffered any harm, meaning that “federal courts are the inappropriate forum in which to hear plaintiffs’ concerns about FDA’s actions.”
By dismissing the case on this basis, the court avoided ruling on the legal merits of whether the FDA acted lawfully in lifting various restrictions, including allowing the drug to be sold by mail, meaning the same issues may yet come back to court in another thing.
“Today, we breathe a collective sigh of relief as the U.S. Supreme Court upheld our access to mifepristone, the most commonly used drug in medical abortion,” she said. Planned Parenthood supporters of PA Executive director Signe Espinoza. “This is a victory for reproductive health in the dark two years since the Dobbs decision. Our fight is not over, and we continue to fight to ensure everyone has access to the care they need and deserve.”
The debate over reproductive rights continues to revolve around Pennsylvania’s decisions in the 2024 general election. Two Democratic Congressional Contenders – Ashley Ehasz (PA-01) i Janelle Stelson (PA-10) – they spoke loudly about the anti-election position of their opponents.
AND A Gallup poll shows a record 32 percent of U.S. voters they say they would only vote for a primary candidate who shares their views on abortion. The importance of a candidate’s position on abortion for one’s vote is much greater among pro-choice voters than it was during the 2020 presidential election cycle, while pro-life voters’ voting intensity on abortion has declined. Additionally, voters’ greater engagement on the issue today compared to 2020 is mainly explained by Democrats, while Republicans and independents showed little change.
This can be seen in the 1st Congressional District race between Ehasz and Representative Brian Fitzpatrick. The DCCC Analytics poll found that after reviewing brief, balanced profiles of each candidate, the challenger had a five-point lead, 49-44%. Pollsters then shared their opinion on Fitzpatrick’s “anti-choice” and the numbers swung in Ehasz’s favor by seven points (50-43%).
According to the DCCC, just 2 in 5 respondents (40%) believed Fitzpatrick would vote for a nationwide abortion ban in the early stages of the survey. After a single message about what they voted for and campaigned on, that number increased to 2 in 3 (68%).
Independents seemed most moved by the additional statements, as 38 percent supported Ehasz, an Army veteran, before learning more. This number later increased to 48 percent, an escalate of 10 percent.
Democrats hope to flip the Bucks County and Montgomery County seats by using Fitzpatrick’s record on reproductive rights to their advantage.
Fitzpatrick voted against it twice Women’s Health Protection Act, and to repeal the portion of the Affordable Care Act that provided for reproductive health care. He also supported Mike Johnson (R-La.), who co-authored legislation for a complete national abortion ban, as Speaker of the House. Johnson was once a senior adviser to the Alliance Defending Freedom, the conservative legal powerhouse behind the case that ended in failure Roe v. Wade – and support for the plaintiffs in today’s case.
On his website, Fitzpatrick actually talks about this empowering women, stating that he is a powerful advocate for equal rights and that he co-led the long-term, bipartisan reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. However, when it comes to women’s health, the site does not outline his position on abortion or other reproductive rights, rather he supports doubling funding for women’s health at the NIH.
While today can be considered a victory for the Biden administration and reproductive rights advocates, the proverbial can has been kicked. Anti-abortion advocates are eyeing state-level restrictions, pressure on pharmacy chains, perhaps another legal challenge that comes with a stronger reputation, and especially a second term in the White House for Donald Trump and an administration in which a fresh FDA chief could withdraw approval of mifepristone or a fresh attorney general could enforce it Comstock Act.
“Today, the Supreme Court did the bare minimum. “She rejected the baseless attack on mifepristone by a group of anti-abortion doctors,” he said Jenny Lawson, executive director of Planned Parenthood Votes. “But he sent the case back to the same federal district court that tried to restrict the use of mifepristone in the first place, which might have allowed this case to continue.
“But let’s be clear: We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for Donald Trump,” she continued. “Donald Trump was proud of it He admitted to the fall Roeand called him “a beautiful thing” as state after state bans abortion, he has tried to do so defund Planned Parenthoodand he said it post-abortion patients he should be punished. He paved the way for the current abortion access crisis and is responsible for every abortion ban and every suffering patient. The crisis fueled by Donald Trump will not improve with today’s ruling. That’s why Planned Parenthood Votes is working to defeat him and his anti-abortion allies this November.”
