According to the decision, the abortion pill mifepristone may only be prescribed on-site at the clinic, and should not be given via telephone or digital contact with patients.
Mifepristone was approved in 2000 and is used to terminate early pregnancies. The majority of abortions in the United States are performed by pill, and about a quarter are prescribed remotely. Many women use this option in states where abortion is prohibited.
The decision, which comes after a lawsuit from the state of Louisiana, is expected to be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court. Louisiana's policy is that "every unborn child is a human being from the moment of conception."
