Controversy Surrounding Abortion Pills and Access in the US

Despite medication abortions accounting for over half of all abortions in the US, a majority of Americans had not heard of mifepristone, the first pill in a two-drug regimen used to terminate pregnancy. Two conflicting rulings on mifepristone have put the long-term availability of the medication in limbo, with the Justice Department asking the Supreme Court to ensure its accessibility. Polls show that voters are not particularly supportive of state-level efforts to restrict access to medication abortion, and that ongoing court battles related to medication abortion are likely to reduce Americans’ already-sinking confidence in courts as impartial arbiters.