The US Supreme Court recently issued a unanimous decision that maintained access to mifepristone, a medication commonly used in abortions. The FDA approved mifepristone in 2000 and it is considered safe for use. Despite this, some states have imposed restrictions on the medication, including Florida where using the pill remains legal for up to six weeks of pregnancy.
In Florida, the Supreme Court decision means that using the pill is still legal for up to six weeks of pregnancy, as all abortions after that are banned under the state’s 2023 Heartbeat Protection Act. However, telemedicine for abortion at any stage of pregnancy is prohibited and delivery of abortion pills through mail or courier services is also restricted. Mifepristone must be taken in the presence of a physician, even though some Floridians have been obtaining it from states that have passed “shield laws” to protect telehealth providers from out-of-state investigations.
Some states like California, Illinois and New York have implemented these laws to allow telehealth providers to send abortion pills into banned or restrictive states such as Florida. For instance, MAP, a telehealth practice operating under Massachusetts’ shield laws reports that over 50% of its patients come from banned or restrictive states with Texas and Florida being among the top two states in terms of sales. This highlights how these shield laws are helping women in certain states gain access to this crucial medication despite restrictions imposed by their own governments.
