Supreme Court to Decide Fate of Abortion Drug
The Supreme Court issued a temporary administrative stay Friday pausing an order that would have limited access to mifepristone. Justice Alito issued the reprieve in response to an emergency appeal from the federal government challenging the unsigned order handed down by the Fifth Circuit of Appeals. The petitioners are seeking revocation of F.D.A. approval for the abortion drug that might affect availability even in states that permit abortion. Justice Alito has set a noon deadline on Tuesday for briefs though a timeline for a decision is uncertain.
Why did petitioners file their challenge in a district court in Amarillo, Texas?
Download: CQP_Lecture_Spark_PPT_Supreme Court to Decide Fate of Abortion Drug
Videos
News Articles
Supreme Court lifts abortion pill restrictions for now
CNBC
4/14/23
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/04/14/supreme-court-temporarily-blocks-abortion-pill-restrictions.html
Supreme Court puts abortion pill ruling on hold, preserving access to mifepristone for now
CBS News
4/14/23
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/abortion-pill-ruling-supreme-court-administrative-stay/
Abortion pill: Justice Alito pauses mifepristone restrictions as Supreme Court weighs appeal
USA Today
4/14/23
All eyes on SCOTUS for abortion pill ruling
Axios
4/14/23
https://www.axios.com/2023/04/14/scotus-abortion-pill-ruling-expected
States maintaining reserve of abortion pills after Supreme Court’s hold on limitations
Salon
4/15/23
Supreme Court temporarily blocks mifepristone restrictions in a rare win for abortion rights
The 19th News
4/14/23
Supreme Court temporarily allows access to abortion pill mifepristone amid judges’ contradicting orders
Fox News
4/14/23
Florida Gov. DeSantis signs 6-week abortion ban
CNN
4/14/23
https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/13/politics/florida-abortion-ban/index.html
Assessment
Writing: Explain why the F.D.A. will likely comply with a court order despite pressure from politicians to defy any new restriction on the availability of mifepristone. What risk would the F.D.A. be taking if it defies a court order?
Debate: Should Congress step in and legislate a national policy on abortion or should authority remain with the states?
Poll: Should mifepristone be readily available in the United States?
Short Answer: Why did Justice Alito issue a stay on the Fifth Circuit’s order when he wrote the opinion that overturned Roe v. Wade?
News Quiz
True/False
The stay issued by the Supreme Court to maintain the status quo on the availability of mifepristone makes it very likely that they will ultimately rule in favor of the F.D.A. (T/F)
The politics after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health decision has benefited Democrats more than Republicans. (T/F)
Some governors from states that permit abortion have begun to stockpile mifepristone. (T/F)
Multiple Choice
How many pregnancies have been terminated using mifepristone?
- 1 million
- 5 million
- 10 million
- 20 million
The F.D.A. currently recommends that mifepristone be taken within how many weeks of a pregnancy?
- six weeks
- eight weeks
- ten weeks
- twenty weeks
When will Florida’s six-week ban on abortion go into effect?
- on January 1st
- after the Florida Supreme Court overturns the past precedent
- on September 1
- after President Biden approves it
