A US appeals court has temporarily blocked a decision by a Texas judge to halt the government’s approval of a widely used abortion drug. Mifepristone – one of two drugs used for medication abortions – was approved by the Food and Drug Administration and has been allowed for over 20 years. Abortion pills are now the most common method of ending a pregnancy, used in more than half of all US abortions. This ruling means access to it will be maintained but with some restrictions. They include a requirement to visit one’s doctor to get the drug and limiting its use to the first seven weeks of pregnancy from the current 10. Critics of the ruling by Texas Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk say it will open the door for challenges to other approved medicines in the US and could also stifle development of future drugs. In his 8 April ruling, Judge Kacsmaryk ordered pulling mifepristone from the market in seven days’ time, saying the FDA had violated federal rules that allowed for the accelerated approval of some drugs. The order was set to take effect on Friday. The Department of Justice and the drug manufacturer applied for an emergency stay on the ruling on Monday, asking the court to put a hold on the judge’s decision.(BBC)…[+]