US Supreme Court threw out a bid by campaign groups to restrict access to abortion pill - mifepristone, so Americans will be able to buy it still. The decision was made by the same court that two years ago overturned "Roe V Wade", which had earlier given rights to treminate a pregnancy. 

The drug - mifepristone, was first approved by the Food & Drug administration (FDA) in September 2000 for medical tremination upto seven weeks into pregnancy. The same was extended to 10 weeks in 2016. The US Supreme Court ruled that Plaintiffs behind the lawsuit challenging mifepristone lacked legal standing to pursue the case, which required they show they have been harmed in a way that can be traced to the FDA. The suit initially had sought to reverse FDA approval of mifepristone, but that aspect was rejected by the lower court. 

Mifepristone is taken alongwith another drug called misoprostol to perform medication abortions, presently the most common method of termination of pregnancies in the US. The FDA said that after decades of use by millions of women in the US and around the world, mifepristone has proven "extremely safe" and that studies have demonstrated that "serious adverse events are exceedingly rare". 

The plaintiffs, the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, argued the FDA acted contrary to its mandate to ensure medications are safe when eased the restrictions on mifepristone. The plaintiffs also accused the administrator of violating the law governing the actions of regulatory agencies. In the meanwhile pro-choice campaigners breathed a sigh of relief following the news that the Supreme Court will not limit the access to abortion by way of medication. The ongoing fight for mifepristone was one of latest attempt by anti-abortion groups in the US to restrict access to reproductive rights in America following the overturn of 'Roe V Wade' in 2022.

The pill gives much-needed access to abortion care to those who do not yet need to undergo a procedure to terminate their pregnancy. This decision of the US Supreme Court means mifepristone can still be accessed 'over the counter' and through the post with priscription. The US Supreme Court'd decision was unanimous to throw this case out. Given the right-wing majority sitting on the bench, nowadays unanimous decisions are not something usually seen at the Supreme Court. Despite the win for the pro-choice groups, there is constant legal battles across the US when it comes to abortion issue.

The next most significant case, which is upcoming, before the US Supreme Court concerns whether emergency abortion care can be obtained in spite of abortion bans. This case is being brought out of the State of Idaho, where abortion is totally banned with limited exceptions, and where some women who go to hospitals with pregnancy complications have to be airlifted to nearby States to get the abortion care they need on urgent basis. The protection of abortion pill provides some respite from complicated laws.