Texas federal judge halts FDA approval of abortion pill mifepristone; Biden administration filing appeal

"Washington -- A federal judge in Texas on Friday halted the Food and Drug Administration's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone, delivering a blow to abortion rights advocates in the wake of the Supreme Court's dismantling of the constitutional right to abortion."

""Let's be clear: Those opposed to abortion are not satisfied with overturning Roe v. Wade and are actively seeking to erode access to sexual and reproductive health care by pursuing lawsuits like this one that undermine medical expertise and harm patients.""

"Such a move from Kacsmaryk, appointed by former President Donald Trump, likely would have disrupted access to the drug for millions of women nationwide, including in states where abortion is legal."

""This decision could threaten the FDA's role in this country's public health system, and -- if allowed to stand -- will have broad and unprecedented consequences that reach far beyond abortion," she said in a statement."

""The [FDA] must protect the health, safety, and welfare of all Americans by rejecting or limiting the use of dangerous drugs."
must protect the health, safety, and welfare of all Americans by rejecting or limiting the use of dangerous drugs." floatkey="4" ]

""There is also evidence indicating FDA faced significant political pressure to forego its proposed safety precautions to better advance the political objective of increased 'access; to chemical abortion -- which was the 'whole idea of mifepristone.'"But the FDA said its 2000 approval of the abortion pill rested on a "comprehensive evaluation of the scientific data.""

"""The lawsuit, and this ruling, is another unprecedented step in taking away basic freedoms from women and putting their health at risk," Biden said."

This is a negative sentiment.

"On the heels of Kacsmaryk's decision, a federal judge in Washington state issued a decision in a separate case involving mifepristone that preliminarily blocked the Biden administration from altering the status quo as it relates to the availability of the drug."

This is a negative sentiment.

""This ruling from an activist judge is wildly out of step with the law and sets a dangerous new precedent," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement."

This is a negative sentiment.

"The Biden administration indeed filed its notice of appeal late Friday night."

This is a positive sentiment.

"Such a move from Kacsmaryk, appointed by former President Donald Trump, likely would have disrupted access to the drug for millions of women nationwide, including in states where abortion is legal."

This is a negative sentiment.

"He put his decision on hold for seven days to allow for the Biden administration to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit."

This is a negative sentiment.

"At the federal level, the Biden administration has taken steps to expand the availability of abortion pills."

This is a positive sentiment.

"In a statement late Friday night strongly condemning the ruling, President Biden said that the "Court in this case has substituted its judgment for FDA, the expert agency that approves drugs."

This is a positive sentiment.