Abortion Pill Rulings Cause Alarm, Confusion

Competing rulings by two federal judges over the availability of the abortion pill mifepristone are sowing alarm and confusion — and opening a new front in the battle over abortion in the United States. One federal judge in Amarillo, Texas on Friday put on hold federal approval of mifepristone, one of the most commonly used medications to end pregnancies. Another federal judge in Spokane, Washington ruled differently in a separate case and ordered the federal government not to restrict the drug’s availability. Some abortion rights advocates have little confidence the U.S. Supreme Court will side with abortion advocates on the abortion pill issue after the court last June struck down Roe v. Wade.