Federal judges in Texas and Washington issued conflicting judgments Friday that escalated the legal battle over the abortion and on a medicine commonly used to abort.
The legal battle over the pill mifepristone has grown more intense since the US Supreme Court struck down the federal right to the procedure.
On Friday, the first ruling was handed down by a federal judge in Texas, Matthew Kacsmaryk, a Donald Trump appointee and known for his ultra-conservative views, who withdrew the authorization Federal Food and Drug Administration (known as the FDAfor its acronym in English) had given over 20 years ago to the abortion pill
Also Friday night, in a dramatic legal turn in the opposite direction, a Washington federal judge, Thomas Rice, appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama, said the FDA must keep the abortion pill available in at least 12 states. .
Judge Kacsmaryk said his ruling would not be enforced for seven days, so the Justice Department could appeal.
On Saturday, April 15, the possible date of his decision, an “urgent mobilization” will take place throughout the country called by the feminist organization Women’s March.
Below is the background on the pill and its use.
How widely used is the abortion pill?
According to him Guttmacher Institute, the pill accounted for more than half (53%) of the 930,160 abortions recorded in 2020 by this organization that researches reproductive health and public policy in the United States.
In 2008 the figure was 17% and in 2017 it was 39%.
While the number of so-called medication abortions has skyrocketed in the United States in recent years, it is still not as prevalent as it is in many European nations.
In France, for example, abortions of this type represented 70% of the total in 2020.
How does the pill work?
The abortion pill is different from the “next day”which women can use after having sexual intercourse, to prevent pregnancy.
The abortion pill is taken to induce an abortion once the woman confirms that she is pregnant.
In fact, it involves more than one pill. The first, mifepristone, also known as RU 486, stops the normal continuation of pregnancy by blocking the production of the hormone progesterone.
Another medication, misoprostol, is taken 48 hours later and causes cramping, bleeding, and empties the uterus.
Abortion pills can be used at home and do not require medical assistance.
When was the abortion pill approved?
The FDA gave mifepristone and misoprostol the green light in 2000.
It is approved for use up to the 10th week of pregnancy, after which a woman would need to abort using other methods, such as vacuum aspiration.
The average cost of an abortion medication at Planned Parenthood is $580, but it can cost more than $800.
Is it safe and effective?
The use of the abortion pill for the specified period of time is considered safe and effective by medical experts.
Pregnancies are successfully terminated in more than 95% of cases using the pill, according to studies.
Serious complications, such as excessive bleeding, fever, infection, or allergic reaction, which require medical consultation, are rare.
Where is the pill available?
At least 13 US states have banned most abortions, including those that require medication, since the Supreme Court in June revoked the constitutional right to abortion.
Despite the bans, several organizations have mobilized to provide abortion pills to women in states where abortion is restricted.
The scope of those efforts is difficult to assess.
In states where abortion is legal, the FDA recently eased restrictions on mifepristone, allowing it to be mailed with a prescription or sold directly to pharmacies like any other medication.
“The Supreme Court has a long tradition of respect for the scientific opinions of federal agencies”said Lawrence Gostin, a law professor at Georgetown University.
This renowned expert in health law awaits a favorable resolution from the FDA.
It acknowledges however that “the outcome of the battle is uncertain”. “The conservative supermajority of the Supreme Court canceled the constitutional right to abortion and was hostile to federal regulations related to covid or climate change.”
“This is a dangerous time for American women”noticed.
Source: AFP
Source: Gestion
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