Abortion rights advocates demonstrate in front of the Supreme Court on Dec. 1, when the court heard arguments about a Mississippi law that would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Credit: Jose Luis Magana/AP

The Biden administration on Thursday ended a long-standing restriction on a medication used to terminate early stage pregnancies, even as politicians across the United States intensified efforts that represent the most serious challenge to abortion rights in decades.FAQ: What to know about the omicron variant of the coronavirus

The elimination of the rule by the Food and Drug Administration means abortion pills can be prescribed through telehealth consultations with providers and mailed to patients in states where permitted by law. Previously, the pills could not be mailed, though that regulation had been temporarily suspended by the FDA.

In large swaths of the nation, however, strict state rules will dampen the impact. Several states ban sending abortion pills by mail and impose other restrictions.

The medication, mifepristone, was approved by the FDA in 2000 for what’s known as […]

Read the Full Article