Trump administration asks Supreme Court to reinstate abortion pill restrictions judge has suspended due to coronavirus

The Trump administration on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court to reinstate restrictions on an abortion medication as it appeals a federal judge’s ruling that temporarily suspended those restrictions nationwide due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The administration’s request, if granted, would again bar women from getting the drug, known as mifepristone and RU486, unless they visit a hospital, clinic or medical office, and also acknowledge in writing that they have been advised of the drug’s risks.

The Justice Department, in its application to the Supreme Court, argued that “any burdens” of forcing women to comply with those restrictions “with a one-time clinic visit” are outweighed by the risks of them suffering serious side effects of the pill.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration since 2000 had imposed the restrictions on the drug, which when used in conjunction with another medication, misoprostol, causes a woman’s pregnancy to end.

The FDA says the restrictions are necessary to mitigate what it characterizes as serious health risks associated with mifepristone, such as excessive bleeding.

But in May, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, along with other organizations, sued the FDA and the Health and Human Services Department, seeking to overturn the rule.

In response to that suit, Maryland federal district court Judge Theodore Chuang on July 13 barred the FDA from enforcing the rule during the Covid-19 pandemic, saying the restrictions were an undue burden and “substantial obstacle” on women’s access to abortion services. Chuang cited a 1992 Supreme Court decision in an abortion case for his ruling.

“By causing certain patients to decide between forgoing or substantially delaying abortion care, or risking exposure to COVID-19 for themselves, their children, and family members, the In-Person Requirements present a serious burden to many abortion patients,” Chuang wrote in his decision.

Article source: https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/26/coronavirus-trump-administration-asks-supreme-court-to-rule-on-abortion-pill-restriction.html