A federal judge in Texas is deciding on a serious challenge to the abortion pill, which could eliminate patient’s access to the medication even in states where abortion is legal and protected. The lawsuit was filed by the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal group on behalf of antiabortion medical organizations. The pill, also known as mifepristone and misoprostol, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2000 as a safe and effective way to terminate early pregnancies.

At the hearing on Wednesday, Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk questioned the FDA's approval process and whether the medication has met the "rigorous federal standard" necessary to be prescribed in the United States. He also discussed the impact of a 19th-century law that prohibits sending articles "for any indecent or immoral use" through the postal service. Kacsmaryk left court after