US judge says Biden-era restrictions on prescribing abortion drug are unlawful

The decision comes as Republican-led states and anti-abortion groups are fighting on multiple fronts to limit access to mifepristone, which is used in more than 60% of U.S. abortions.

The FDA initially approved mifepristone in 2000 and has expanded access over time, including in a separate Biden-era rule allowing the drug to be prescribed and dispensed through the mail. The U.S. Supreme Court in May allowed that rule to remain in effect pending a legal challenge that has been paused until the FDA completes its review.

Access to mifepristone, which is part of a two-drug abortion regimen, has become a flashpoint in the abortion debate since the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which had recognized a constitutional right to abortion, paving the way for individual states to ban the procedure.