Abortion rights advocates speak out against potential nationwide abortion pill ban
Supreme Court weighs whether to intervene in abortion pill access
Dozens of abortion rights advocates protested outside the 11th Circuit Court Sunday as the future of abortion pill access in the country remains in limbo. FOX 5 spoke with an Emory Law professor about what Georgians can expect heading into the upcoming week.
Dozens of abortion rights advocates protested outside the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit Sunday as the futute of abortion pill access in the country remains in limbo. The supreme court is weighing whether to intervene.
"For it to be essentially stripped away now is an incredible assault on our basic right to healthcare," Claire Cook, Organizer with The Party for Socialism and Liberation, said during the protest Sunday.
This comes after a Texas federal judge ruled that the FDA wrongly approved the abortion medication Mifeprostone which has been available for over 20 years.
"The government appeals to the fifth circuit," Emory Law School Professor Alexander Volokh said.
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"It says that Mifepristone can stay on the market, but there are certain regulatory changes in 2016 that have to be undone," he explained.
The decision by the fifth circuit filed last Wednesday shortens the timeframe for use and stops mail delivery.
The government asked the Supreme Court to intervene. On Friday Justice Samuel Alito issued a halt on the ruling until the end of the day on Wednesday.
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"Whatever they decide in the coming days won't be a final decision it's just going to be whether the lower court decisions stay or don't stay while they litigate this whole thing," Volokh explained.
Volokh said legal access to the pill nationwide will have big impacts for women seeking abortions in Georgia.
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"That will make it easier to go to another place to get them delivered through the mail if that's legal or even if it's not legal many people will be able to get them delivered through the mail," he explained.
That hold on the lower court rulings is in place until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday. Any responses also have to be filed by noon on Tuesday.