>>> THE FUTURE OF THE ABORTION PILL METHOD PRESS STONE IS IN JEOPARDY.

FOLLOWING THE TEXAS JUDGE'S RULING, A WASHINGTON STATE JUDGE ORDERED THE FPA NOT TO HALT APPROVAL.

SO THANKS TO YOU BOTH FOR JOINING US.

MARY, WHY IS THE JUDGE SUSPENDING APPROVAL NOW?

>> IT WAS DONE ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS.

THE REASON FOR THE SUSPENSION OF METHOD PRESS STONE IS BECAUSE NO OTHER DRUG CAN PROVIDE THIS AT THIS TIME.

IT WAS RUSH THROUGH -- CLINTON ADMINISTRATION -- NONE OF THE RESEARCH THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE ON A DRUG WAS DONE.

SO THE JUDGE HAD A GREAT CONCERN .

EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS HAVE TREATED WOMEN WHO HAVE COME INTO THEIR EMERGENCY ROOMS.

I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES ADVOCATES SAY IT IS SAFER THAN TAKING A TYLENOL.

BUT 400,000 WOMEN WERE IN STATES THAT MADE IT 60% MORE LIKELY FOR A WOMAN TO END UP IN NEED OF ABORTION THAN SURGICAL ABORTION.

THEY PUT THEM AT GREATER RISK.

>> THIS IS VERY BROAD IN ITS SCOPE.

IT ATTEMPTS TO REACH NATIONWIDE.

USE OF MIFEPRISTONE IS VERY COMMON.

IT IS ALSO VERY CRUEL.

WE KNOW THAT THIS IS A POLITICAL MOVE.

IT IS DISAPPOINTING WHEN WE ARE ALREADY IN A HEALTH CRISIS AND PEOPLE ARE ALREADY HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME ACCESSING ABORTION CARE.

THIS MAKES IT HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO ACCESS WHAT THEY NEED.

>> SO ANNE-MARIE, WHAT WAS THE JUDGE'S REASONING?

>> THEY HAVE ASKED THE FDA TO MAINTAIN THE STATUS QUO.

THE RECORD INDICATES THAT IT HAS BEEN SAFELY USED FOR MORE THAN TWO DECADES.

WASHINGTON WANTS TO ASK THE FDA TO KEEP MIFEPRISTONE AVAILABLE.

>> MARY, YOU HAVE ASKED FOR CLARIFICATIONS.

ARE THESE TWO RULINGS IN CONFLICT?

>> NOT NECESSARILY.

THE PURPOSE OF THE RULING WAS TO GRANT THE REQUEST OF 17 DIFFERENT STATES TO BE ABLE TO USE THEM WITHIN THEIR OWN STATES.

THE SCOPE OF THIS TEXAS CASE ALSO INCLUDES EVERYTHING THAT A JUDGE CITED, AND ALSO ADVICE FROM GYNECOLOGISTS AS WELL AS EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS ABOUT PATIENTS THAT THEY HAD ACTUALLY SEEN.

I WOULD ENCOURAGE OUR LISTENERS TO WATCH.

THEY WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO THE AVERAGE LAYPERSON.

AND HE BELIEVES THAT IT REALLY DOES DESERVE A SECOND LOOK AT THE DRUG.

THAT WAY WE CAN KNOW WHAT IT DOES.

>> WE ALSO KNOW THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION LOOKED AT THIS ISSUE.

WHAT IS NEXT ON THIS?

>> NORMALLY THIS WOULD BE A CASE WHERE COURT OF APPEALS COULD POTENTIALLY -- NO MATTER WHAT THE SUPREME COURT DOES, IT WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE HERE IN ILLINOIS.

THAT WILL BE THE CASE IN THIS STATE.

BUT EVEN THE SUPREME COURT THINKS THAT HE OVERSTEPPED HIS BOUNDS HERE.

DECISIONS ABOUT MEDICATION SAFETY ARE PROPERLY LEFT TO THE FDA.

THEY ARE NOT EXPERTS THERE.

>> IS POSSIBLE.

IT COULD BE THAT THE CIRCUIT SAYS IT IS POSSIBLE THAT EITHER WAY THEY WILL BE ASKING THEM TO EXPLAIN THEIR FINDING ON MIFEPRISTONE