WEDNESDAY, July 16, 2025 (HealthDay News) — A federal appeals court has ruled that West Virginia can limit access to mifepristone, a medication used to end early pregnancies. The decision is the first of its kind and could affect how other states handle access to drugs that are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Pro-life advocates are rejoicing after a federal appeals court ruled this week that West Virginia is within its rights to ban the abortion pill, the second major court loss for the abortion industry in the last month.

A divided federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld West Virginia's near-total ban on abortion, including limits on the widely used medication abortion drug mifepristone.