Justice Alito Temporarily Restores Access to Abortion Pills by Mail
Wall Street Journal
Last updated: May 5, 2026
Justice Samuel Alito has temporarily reinstated full access to the abortion pill mifepristone, halting a lower court's decision that had restricted its availability. This action means doctors can again prescribe and dispense the medication as usual while legal challenges continue.
- The Supreme Court Justice's intervention came as part of an ongoing legal battle over the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of mifepristone. A federal appeals court had previously sought to reinstate stricter regulations on the drug, including limiting its use to certain medical facilities and prohibiting its mail-order distribution.
- Justice Alito's order effectively pauses these restrictions, allowing for the drug's wider accessibility under its existing FDA approval. This temporary measure will remain in effect until the Supreme Court has had a chance to fully consider the case, preventing immediate changes to how mifepristone is prescribed and obtained. The legal process is expected to be lengthy.
