SCOTUS upholds abortion pill telehealth access. And, Trump returns from China visit

"The Supreme Court upheld access to the abortion pill mifepristone yesterday. The high court's order means that the medication will remain available via telehealth while Louisiana's case against the Food and Drug Administration moves through the lower courts. The Supreme Court stayed a May 1 ruling from the New Orleans-based U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals would have banned access to mifepristone by mail. The court ruling would have impacted the whole country."

"The FDA's lawyers argued in the lower courts that the case should be paused while it conducts a new safety review of mifepristone, prompted by pressure from Republican lawmakers. The agency asked to complete the review first, but the 5th Circuit rejected this request. The FDA did not respond to the appeals court's ruling, which NPR's Selena Simmons-Duffin says is striking because a key part of this case is about the agency's power."

"Simmons-Duffin says this case raises an important question: Should judges be able to reshape nationwide access to FDA-approved medications, or should FDA scientists make that determination? Former FDA leaders have urged the high court to maintain access to mifepristone via telemedicine, saying it needs a stable regulatory framework for the FDA to regulate medications in the country."

"President Trump is returning to the U.S. after a two-day state visit to China. The president said that China would buy soybeans and Boeing aircraft, but nothing has been seen in writing yet. As Trump celebrated the announcement of the deal, he didn't sound completely solid, NPR's Tamara Keith tells Up First. China has made purchase promises before only for them to fall short."

The Supreme Court upheld access to the abortion pill mifepristone, keeping it available through telehealth while Louisiana’s case against the FDA continues in lower courts. The high court’s order also stayed a May 1 ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit that would have banned access to mifepristone by mail nationwide. FDA lawyers had argued for pausing the case while the agency conducted a new safety review prompted by pressure from Republican lawmakers, but the Fifth Circuit rejected that request. The case raises questions about whether judges can reshape nationwide access to FDA-approved medications or whether FDA scientists should make that determination. Former FDA leaders urged maintaining telemedicine access to preserve a stable regulatory framework for medication oversight.

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