Mirian Gom 
ABUJA, Nigeria – A United States appeals court has temporarily blocked the mail delivery of abortion medication mifepristone, intensifying legal tensions over reproductive rights nationwide.
The ruling by a three-judge panel of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals mandates that the drug must now be obtained in person at certified clinics, effectively ending its distribution by mail or pharmacies for the time being.
The decision stems from a lawsuit filed by the state of Louisiana against the Food and Drug Administration, challenging existing regulations governing the drug.
In response, Danco Laboratories—one of the manufacturers of mifepristone—has requested a temporary stay of the ruling and plans to escalate the case to the US Supreme Court.
The company warned the order could trigger “immediate chaos” for patients and healthcare providers.
Mifepristone, approved in 2000, is widely used in combination with misoprostol for early pregnancy termination and miscarriage management.
Supporters of the restriction argue for stricter oversight of the drug’s safety, while reproductive rights advocates have condemned the ruling as politically motivated.
“This isn’t about science—it’s about restricting access,” said Nancy Northup of the Center for Reproductive Rights.
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