A federal judge in Texas has ruled that three Republican-led states can proceed with their legal challenge to federal regulations governing the abortion pill mifepristone, potentially shaping the future of access to chemical abortions nationwide.
The decision, issued by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk on Jan. 16, grants Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho permission to file a new, amended complaint against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA previously argued in court filings that the states lacked standing to pursue their claims.
The states’ legal challenge centers on the FDA’s approval and regulation of mifepristone, which they allege violates federal law and poses health risks. The FDA has repeatedly defended its regulations with respect to the abortion pill, including in a court filing that characterized the plaintiffs’ allegations of harm as “speculative” and their arguments as “without merit.”…