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).

The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in a 2-1 vote that West Virginia can restrict access to the abortion pill mifepristone, dismissing a challenge from drug manufacturer GenBioPro.

A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court’s decision to restrict abortion pill sales in West Virginia. A three-judge panel of the 4th U.S.