TBA Law Blog


Posted by: Brittany Sims on Dec 17, 2014

The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked enforcement of an Arizona law aimed at limiting use of the increasingly popular abortion pill, National Public Radio reports. The pill was approved by the FDA in 2000 for the first seven weeks of pregnancy. Since then, scientists have developed safer and smaller doses that allow the drug to be used through the ninth week. Arizona's law would force doctors to use the pill only for the original, FDA-approved seven weeks. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily blocked enforcement of the state statute, pending further litigation. The lower court said the law imposed "an undue burden" on a woman's right to have an abortion. The Supreme Court on Monday refused to intervene, meaning that at least for now, the Arizona law will not be enforced, and the "undue burden" test stands.