So Much for Leaving Abortion Up to the States
Louisiana’s case against the FDA is not just about one drug.
TL;DR
- The Dobbs decision, intended to give states control over abortion, is being challenged by anti-abortion activists seeking a nationwide ban.
- Louisiana's lawsuit against the FDA aims to block the mailing of mifepristone, citing the Comstock Act, an anti-obscenity law.
- Medication abortion accounts for about two-thirds of abortions in the U.S., with access increasing through mail distribution.
- Anti-abortion states are attempting to impose their policies nationwide, even in states that protect abortion access.
- The legal strategy involves challenging federal regulatory decisions and reviving old laws to restrict abortion.
- Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito have indicated support for restricting abortion medication distribution via mail.
- The fight over abortion access is compared to historical conflicts over slavery and states' rights.
- Shield laws in pro-abortion states are designed to protect providers from out-of-state prosecution, but anti-abortion advocates view them as undermining the Dobbs decision.
- The safety of mifepristone is supported by medical evidence, with complications being rare.