SCOTUS Issues Temporary Stay on Abortion Pill Restrictions

Image copyright: Reuters/File [via CNN]

The Facts

  • On Friday, SCOTUS Justice Samuel Alito issued a temporary hold on a Texas district judge's ruling that blocked the Food and Drug Admin.'s (FDA) approval of the abortion pill mifepristone after the Dept. of Justice (DOJ) requested the Supreme Court's intervention.

  • The DOJ request follows a Fifth Circuit Court's decision Wednesday that granted a temporary stay on the ban but left certain restrictions on the use and distribution of the pill in place.


The Spin

Right narrative

The abortion industry has lied about the effects of chemical abortions for a long time, and this legal battle is finally bringing the facts to light. By approving mifepristone, the FDA put women and girls at risk of symptoms ranging from cramping and nausea to infection and bleeding. Facing pressure from the powerful abortion lobby, the FDA prioritized abortion pill access over encouraging women to consult their doctors. This has always been a political issue, but the public is only opening its eyes to that fact now.

Left narrative

If the Texas ruling is ultimately upheld, it will open the door for right-wingers to challenge the FDA's authority on more than just mifepristone. Based on the judge's opinion, the plaintiffs had standing to bring this case simply because they alleged — without a shred of evidence — that some people were harmed by the pill. With that precedent set, anti-vaxxers and other conspiracy theorists can convince a judge to overrule any medicine they deem problematic.


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Political split

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RIGHT

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