Court ruling pushes abortion-pill access into flux, roiling telehealth

A 5th Circuit ruling sharply restricting teleprescribing of mifepristone has created widespread confusion for pharmacies, telehealth providers, and patients, with some clinics pausing teleprescriptions or switching to misoprostol. The Supreme Court briefly stayed the decision, but could rule next week on whether dispensing must be in person. The Biden administration’s stance to pause guidance pending an FDA safety review has drawn criticism and left many questions about prescribing rules and existing prescriptions unresolved, all in a high-stakes, election-year context.