The court case that could further limit abortion access

Plus more health news | Email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Health Matters]( [A Texas lawsuit could limit abortion access across 50 states]( By Haley Weiss Reporter, Health and Wellness A lawsuit in Texas could soon outlaw one of the most essential options for women seeking an abortion—not just in Texas, but across the U.S. An organization made up of right-leaning physicians is suing the Food and Drug Administration, arguing that the agency rushed its 2000 approval of mifepristone—which, when used in conjunction with misoprostol, is the gold standard for medication abortions in the country, and accounts for over 50% of abortions in the U.S. Though the case was filed in Texas, challenging the FDA means that the outcome will affect the whole country—if the plaintiffs win, federal approval of mifepristone will be overturned. Here’s a taste of what’s at play here: - This case couldn’t have been filed just anywhere. In plenty of federal districts across the country, this case would have been thrown out fairly quickly, experts say. In Amarillo, Texas, the court is overseen by a Republican favorite, Judge Matthew Kacsymaryk, who has already worked to limit Texas minors’ access to birth control and to prevent the adoption of national guidelines that would protect transgender people in the workplace, and more. - It could all happen pretty quickly. Though the case was already delayed a bit last week, a ruling is expected as soon as Feb. 24. Further, even if the judge rejects the lawsuit, the case is likely to make its way up to the U.S. Supreme Court via the overwhelmingly conservative Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. - Medication abortion could still exist without mifepristone. In the two-step medication abortion process, mifepristone delivers a signal telling the body to shut off the mechanisms protecting a pregnancy, while misoprostol induces a sort of labor. Because of this, misoprostol does work on its own to end an early pregnancy, but the entire process would lose the FDA’s stamp of approval. This could make it trickier for clinics to meet demand, and could lead to longer wait times and other logistical complications. [READ MORE]( Share the story What else to read [Omicron Can Raise the Risk of Diabetes, Study Says]( By Tanaz Meghjani/Bloomberg Rates of newly diagnosed diabetes, high blood pressure, and elevated cholesterol were higher in the 90 days after COVID-19 infection. [Read More »]( [China May Have Way More COVID-19 Deaths Than Reported]( By Jennifer Creery / Bloomberg New questions about the true impact of China's recent reopening coronavirus wave are being raised by experts worldwide. [Read More »]( [How to Manage Catastrophic Thinking]( By Martin Seligman The catastrophizer's mindset turns out to be an enormous impediment to happiness. [Read More »]( [America Has Been Going About Stopping Child Sex Abuse The Wrong Way]( By Elizabeth Letourneau and Luke Malone We invest billions incarcerating sex offenders, but kids are the ones paying the price, write Elizabeth Letourneau and Luke Malone. [Read More »]( [How To Help Teens Find Purpose Amid The Mental Health Crisis]( By Minnie Bredouw "The youth mental health crisis requires a systemic approach to intervention," writes Minnie Bredouw. [Read More »]( ONE LAST READ FROM ELSEWHERE Washington Post columnist Steven Petrow has lived with depression for most of his life, so he was intrigued by the buzz surrounding psychedelics' therapeutic potential. But when he tried ketamine—under the guidance of a psychiatrist—he had a terrifying experience and felt trapped in his body; he's since had to increase the dose of his antidepressant. [Read More »]( --------------------------------------------------------------- If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, [click here](. Today's newsletter was written by Haley Weiss and Angela Haupt, and edited by Elijah Wolfson. [Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters.]( [Subscribe to TIME]( TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Connect with TIME via [Facebook]( | [Twitter]( | [Newsletters]( [UNSUBSCRIBE]( [PRIVACY POLICY]( [YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS]( TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508 Questions? Contact health@time.com Copyright © 2023 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved.