Access to Abortion Medication Restricted by Politically Motivated Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals

05.04.2026 / Statement

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Yesterday, the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals halted telehealth access to mifepristone nationwide. The ruling will make it harder for women who need it to gain timely, easy access to the drug that has been used safely by millions of patients following U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval more than 25 years ago. Today, mifepristone is used in two-thirds of all abortions nationwide. Since the Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade, telehealth has become a critical access point, now accounting for roughly one in four abortions nationwide. For many women, especially those living in states that restrict or ban abortion, telehealth access to mifepristone has been a lifeline, enabling them to make their own health care decisions.

In response to the court's ruling, Families USA's executive director, Anthony Wright issued the following statement:

"This ruling is a politically motivated attack by anti-abortion politicians to restrict women's access to essential health care. Mifepristone has been rigorously reviewed through the FDA's gold-standard approval process, with decades of scientific evidence confirming its safety and effectiveness, and access to which is supported by a majority of voters. There is no medical or safety justification for restricting access to mifepristone through telehealth - a proven, reliable, and widely used model of care that allows patients to safely access a wide array of vital medications.

"Blocking telehealth access will have serious and harmful consequences. It will disproportionately impact people already facing barriers to care, including those in rural communities, people with low incomes, people with disabilities, communities of color, and those unable to travel. Patients deserve evidence-based policies, not ideological efforts to undermine their ability to access care. This ruling will force women to delay or forgo care, make miscarriages harder to manage, and lead to preventable deaths."

The case is expected to be appealed to the US Supreme Court. Families USA will continue to advocate for policies that protect access to mifepristone and abortion care and protect the role of science and evidence-based decision making in our health care system.