The US Supreme Court has preserved access to a commonly used abortion pill, ruling the drug can remain available while a legal case continues.
In a split decision, it also rejected restrictions on mifepristone implemented by a lower court, essentially maintaining the status quo.
The future of the drug was called into question after a Texas judge sought to invalidate its long-standing approval.
The case could have wide-ranging implications for abortion access.
It comes after the Supreme Court – which has a 6-3 conservative supermajority – overturned Roe v Wade in June last year, ending the nationwide guarantee to abortion and giving states the power to ban the procedure.
With Friday’s ruling, the mifepristone case now returns to the lower 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.
It is likely that the case will come before the Supreme Court once again, setting up the most significant ruling for reproductive rights since Roe was overturned.
Mifepristone is part of a two-drug regimen that now accounts for more than half of abortions in the country. It has been used by more than five million women in the US to end their pregnancies.
It was first approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) more than 20 years ago after four years of review.
The FDA also placed mifepristone in a category of 60 drugs that are regulated under a system of extra restrictions and regular evaluations. (BBC)
