The right to use an abortion pill called mifepristone has been protected by the United States Supreme Court.
In a unanimous decision Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled a group of anti-abortion doctors did not have any legal standing to sue the Food and Drug Administration in an attempt to have mifepristone access restricted. Mifepristone is one of two drugs used in a “medication” abortion.
“Under Article III of the Constitution, a plaintiff’s desire to make a drug less available for others does not establish standing to sue,” wrote Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
The pill is typically mailed to patients without an in-person doctor visit and is considered safe by the FDA. The FDA warns people should only obtain the drug from an authorized medical provider and not over the Internet.
Destiny Wells, the Democrat candidate for Indiana Attorney General, says this decision protects abortion access.
“Since I returned home from serving in Afghanistan in 2017, I realized more than ever that women are the barometer of a healthy democracy,” Wells said in a Thursday press release, “as Attorney General, I will stand by each Hoosier’s ability to determine their healthcare decisions—today’s SCOTUS decision preserving access to lifesaving medication is a win for American liberty.”
Indiana has a near-total ban on abortion with exceptions for rape, incest, and/or the mother’s life is in danger.
In response to the ruling, Right to Life Michiana Executive Director Antonio Marchi issued this statement:
“Much of the chatter surrounding the court’s opinion today fails to recognize that the ruling considers only the matter of the plaintiff’s legal standing and not the merits of their case. Although the court’s opinion will allow access to abortion drugs to continue for now, the decision does not touch the matter of whether the use of these drugs to end pregnancy is acceptable.
“Abortion pills end lives, and widespread access to these drugs opens the door to all sorts of abuse and coercion. We must do better for women and their preborn children, showing them support in the midst of the challenges they face rather than selling them short with abortion.”
Right to Life Michiana, Inc. is dedicated to social welfare by promoting life through outreach, education, advocacy, and prayer in St. Joseph and Elkhart Counties. It is the oldest, continuously active pro-life organization in St. Joseph County, and it is the central organization representing pro-life interests in the region. Its goal is to protect all innocent human life – the unborn, the infirm or handicapped, and the aged.
