(Washington) An American federal judge announced on Friday suspending the marketing authorization in the United States of mifepristone (RU 486), one of the two pills used for abortions, which in practice prevents its prescription.
The magistrate, however, clarified that he was giving federal authorities a week to possibly appeal the decision, which marks another success for conservatives in restricting access to abortion in the United States.
Its decision concerns the whole country, including states protecting the right to abortion, and affects the approximately 500,000 women who resort to the abortion pill each year.
Over 67 pages, magistrate Matthew Kacsmaryk, known for his ultraconservative views, validates most of the arguments in the complaint filed in November by a coalition of doctors and anti-abortion organizations against the United States Medicines Agency (FDA ).
Like them, he resumes studies on the risks attributed to the abortion pill, although they are considered negligible by the majority of the scientific community. He also accuses the FDA of failing to follow its procedures in order to meet a political objective.
It is likely that the federal government of President Joe Biden will quickly appeal its decision, which will then be reviewed urgently by a Court of Appeals located in New Orleans, also known for its conservatism. The case should therefore end quickly before the Supreme Court of the United States.
Deeply overhauled by Donald Trump, in June it granted a historic victory to opponents of abortion by removing the constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy, which gave each state its freedom to legislate in the matter. Since then, about fifteen have banned abortions on their soil.