by Mary Margaret Olohan
President Donald Trump’s administration asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to reinstate a requirement that a woman must visit her health care provider to obtain abortion drugs.
“Given that surgical methods of abortion remain widely available, the enforcement of longstanding safety requirements for a medication abortion during the first ten weeks of pregnancy does not constitute a substantial obstacle to abortion access, even if the COVID-19 pandemic has made obtaining any method of abortion in person somewhat riskier,” acting Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall said, according to CNN.
Lower courts previously blocked this requirement, citing an increased need for abortion access due to the coronavirus pandemic, the publication reports.
BREAKING: We're suing the FDA over a restriction that forces patients to make an unnecessary trip to the clinic or hospital for medication used for early abortion and miscarriage care.
That restriction was never necessary, but, now, it is putting people at risk for COVID-19.
— ACLU (@ACLU) May 27, 2020
A federal judge suspended restrictions placed on abortion drugs by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July, writing that in-person requirements present a “substantial obstacle” for women seeking abortion drugs during the coronavirus, according to CNBC.
The FDA approved the use of the abortion drug mifepristone, also called Mifeprex, in 2000 for up to 10 weeks’ gestation, but explicitly warned that buyers should not purchase Mifeprex over the Internet “because they will bypass important safeguards designed to protect their health.”
“Mifeprex is supplied directly to healthcare providers who meet certain qualifications,” the FDA website says. “It is only available to be dispensed in certain healthcare settings, specifically, clinics, medical offices, and hospitals, by or under the supervision of a certified prescriber. It is not available in retail pharmacies, and it is not legally available over the Internet. These requirements also apply to the approved generic version of Mifeprex.”
The FDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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Mary Margaret Olohan is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
