Trump administration seeking pause on Louisiana lawsuit that could limit abortion pill access

According to multiple national reports, the Trump administration is seeking for a federal court to put a hold on a Louisiana lawsuit that aims to end abortion pill access by mail, citing a review of mifepristone^.1,2

According to CNN, the Justice Department’s filing on January 27, 2026, stated that if the case moves forward while the FDA is actively investigating current regulations would “judicial resources because FDA’s own review may eliminate any need for the Court’s.”¹

The filing, according to a Politico report, stated that the administration is considering whether to continue with federal regulations that allow mifepristone access via mail, retail, and telemedicine.²

If the request to stop the case is achieved by the Trump administration, CNN reports it would inform the court within 2 weeks of a decision to change current regulations because of the review.¹

The Louisiana lawsuit aims to bring back previous federal restrictions to mifepristone that would remove access to the drug throughout the country, especially in anti-abortion states where there are fewer clinics.²

In July of 2025, Angel Foster, MD, founder of The Massachusetts Abortion Access Project (MAP), spoke with Contemporary OB/GYN about growing fear among patients who seek abortion care in the United States after the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade.³

In the conversation, Foster noted that roughly one-third of women and girls of reproductive age now live in states that have implemented near-total abortion bans or first-trimester restrictions. A potential rehashing of federal regulations that would limit remote access could further limit access.

“The most recent numbers suggest that about 1 in 4 abortions are actually through telemedicine, so it is becoming a critical part of the abortion care landscape,” Foster previously said. “Almost all of the abortions that are taking place in states with near-total bans are taking place through shield law provisions and through telemedicine.”

Click here to watch Angel Foster discuss the importance of telehealth for abortion care.

References:

1. Sneed T. Trump administration asks court to pause Louisiana lawsuit targeting abortion pill access while it conducts review. CNN. Accessed January 28, 2026. https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/27/politics/trump-asks-court-pause-lawsuit-abortion-pill-access
2. Ollstein AM. Trump asks federal court to hit pause on abortion pill case, citing ongoing study. Politico. Published January 27, 2026. Accessed January 28, 2026. https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/27/trump-asks-federal-court-to-hit-pause-on-abortion-pill-case-citing-ongoing-study-00750658
3. Foster A. Angel Foster, MD, highlights the importance of telehealth for abortion care. Contemporary OB/GYN. Published July 30, 2025. Accessed January 28, 2026.