Access to a key abortion drug is in legal limbo. Here’s how medication abortion works

Two federal judges hearing cases about mifepristone have issued contradictory decisions, throwing the future of a drug used in nearly all U.S. medication abortions into question.

• By Laurel Wamsley and Kaitlyn Radde

• npr

In Texas, U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ruled Friday that the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone more than 20 years ago was improper.

Kacsmaryk issued a nationwide injunction — set to take effect in seven days — to pause the FDA’s approval.

Hours later, U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice issued his decision in a…

• Access to a…