The Trump administration is asking the Supreme Court to reinstate restrictions on access to medication-induced abortions pending the outcome of an appeal of a ruling by a lower court to remove the restriction. The government is appealing to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit a decision of a Maryland district court judge that a law requiring abortion seekers to visit health care providers in person to obtain the first of two pills needed for medication-induced abortions created an unconstitutional obstacle to abortions during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
 
A medication-induced abortion is a nonsurgical procedure, effective until approximately 10 weeks into a pregnancy, which involves taking two drugs spaced several days apart. The regulation in question concerns Mifepristone, the first drug, which works to block the hormone progesterone necessary for the continuation of a pregnancy. 
 
"Given that surgical methods of abortion remain widely available, the enforcement of longstanding safety requirements for a medication abortion during the first ten weeks of pregnancy does not constitute a substantial obstacle to abortion access, even if the COVID-19 pandemic has made obtaining any method of abortion in person somewhat riskier," acting Solicitor General Jeffrey Wall wrote Wednesday.
 
The Trump administration's challenge comes after several reproductive health groups, represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, sued the FDA in May over the requirement, arguing that it was unconstitutional for the FDA to maintain the rule for the abortion drug while lifting it for other drugs in light of the pandemic.

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