Abortion pill ruling challenges FDA's authority and sparks controversy.

A Texas judge's ruling to revoke the FDA's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone could have far-reaching implications for the pharmaceutical industry's reliance on the agency's drug approval process, legal experts say. If upheld, the decision could open the door to lawsuits challenging approvals or regulatory decisions related to other medications. The ruling could also empower groups to begin "looking over the shoulder of the FDA, re-evaluating their risk-benefit analyses," said R. Alta Charo, a professor emerita of law and bioethics at the University of Wisconsin. The issue is almost certain to land before the Supreme Court.