A two-drug regimen (mifepristone and misoprostol) is the most common form of medication abortion provided nationwide.
On Tuesday, March 26, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA, a case that challenges the widespread use of mifepristone, which was first approved by the FDA in 2000. The high court could reinstate an earlier requirement for the drug to be provided in person; the FDA loosened REMS procedures around mifepristone in December 2021 and January 2023, allowing providers to send the drug to women through the mail and adding a pharmacy certification process that would allow retail pharmacies to dispense mifepristone directly to patients with a certified prescription.
Among 14 states that restricted access to abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe in June 2022, Kentucky saw only 16 abortions in 2023. Twelve of those abortions were performed using medication. Under state law, abortions are permitted where the life and health of the mother is at risk.
