Access to mifepristone by mail and telehealth remains legal for now, after the Food and Drug Administration told a federal court its safety review of the drug will not be finished before March 2027, according to reports.
In a court-ordered status update filed October 7 in the US District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, the FDA said it is on track to obtain study results by mid-December 2026 and then draft a report of its findings. The review is using data-mining analysis of health-network and insurer data to look for unknown safety concerns, comparing mifepristone with surgical abortion and reviewing the drug’s safety programme.
The filing comes in a lawsuit from Louisiana seeking to end the FDA policy — put in place during the Biden administration — permitting mifepristone to be distributed by mail. Missouri and Florida have filed similar challenges. The administration has so far left the regulation in effect while asking judges to pause the lawsuits pending the review, a stance that has drawn criticism from anti-abortion groups.
A Supreme Court order issued in May keeps telehealth prescribing and mail dispensing in place while the Louisiana case continues, so patients with a current prescription can still receive the drug by mail. After the review concludes, the agency could keep the current rules, add restrictions such as in-person dispensing, or make other changes.
Anti-abortion advocates called the extended timeline alarming, while supporters of telehealth access say the longer review matters most for people who rely on remote care, including rural residents and those who live far from a clinic.
