Judge Strikes Down Controversial Abortion Drug Rule

A federal judge in Virginia ruled against the Biden administration's requirement for special certification to prescribe mifepristone, an abortion drug. Judge Robert Ballou found the FDA had not adequately considered the rule's impact on patients and providers. The FDA must now review the rule's necessity.

A federal judge in Virginia has ruled against the Biden administration's stringent rule requiring doctors and pharmacies to be specially certified for dispensing the abortion drug mifepristone.

In Friday's decision, U.S. District Judge Robert Ballou agreed with three abortion providers who argued the federal government failed to consider critical data and overlooked the rule's potential impact.

This verdict obliges the FDA to reassess the rule amidst its ongoing review of mifepristone's safety.