On Friday, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito granted an emergency stay on a lower court’s order suspending the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the abortion pill, mifespristone. The emergency requests came from the Department of Justice and Danco Laboratories, one of the manufacturers of the drug.
It’s a short reprieve, however, with Alito asking all parties in the suit to provide further briefs by midday Tuesday, with his order expiring late Wednesday. Alito is asking for more arguments on whether the rulings from lower courts that would restrict FDA’s approval should be allowed to go into effect while the challenge works its way through the appeals process.