WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – In a victory for abortion rights advocates, the Supreme Court rejected a legal challenge to the abortion pill mifepristone.
The decision protects access to the drug for now, but its future remains uncertain.
Erin Hawley, with the Alliance for Defending Freedom, represented the plaintiffs and argued against the FDA regulations that allow easy access to the drug.
“The decision based on a legal technicality, allows the FDA to continue its reckless disregard for women’s health,” Hawley said.
The justices didn’t rule on the arguments’ merits, instead saying the plaintiffs don’t have the legal right to sue.
“That leaves the door open for a future plaintiff to make a challenge and hopefully win on the merits,” Heritage Foundation expert Melanie Israel says.
Israel calls the drug dangerous and says it lacks important safety standards.
“The status quo of frankly, the wild, wild west of abortion pills, is not good for women and girls,” Israel said.
Abortion rights advocates argue mifepristone is safe and effective. However, they aren’t really thrilled about the ruling either.
Vice President Kamala Harris argues too many women still lack access to abortions.
“This is not a cause for celebration, because the reality is certain things are still not going to change,” Harris said. “Two-thirds of women of reproductive age in America live in a state with a Trump abortion ban. This ruling is not going to change that.”
Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) says Republican lawmakers are working to roll back access even further.
“The assault on women’s healthcare and reproductive rights is still front and center,” Warner said.
Abortion opponents agree that the battle isn’t over.
“We live to fight another day, and this is absolutely not going to be the last word,” Israel said.
