The FDA on Dec. 17 reversed a critical restriction on abortion access by allowing patients to obtain the hormone-blocking drug mifepristone by mail instead of requiring it to be procured in person.
Mifepristone, known by the brand name Mifeprex, blocks progesterone, a hormone required to sustain pregnancy.
The agency's decision makes medical abortions more accessible to people who have difficulty traveling to a provider or want to terminate a pregnancy at home. Patients who wish to receive abortion pills by mail must have a virtual or in-person visit with a physician who can prescribe and send the medication.