Shortly before the federal government shut down last week, officials at the Food and Drug Administration quietly approved a second generic form of mifepristone, the first of two drugs typically used in a medication abortion . In a letter dated September 30, the FDA told the manufacturer, Evita Solutions, that it had approved its 2021 application to market the generic. The development seemed like a rare piece of good news for supporters of abortion rights who are no doubt desperate for a win.

But the truth is that this development doesn’t mean anyone can rest easy about abortion-pill access going forward. To understand why, it’s important to know that medication abortions are a top target of the anti-abortion movement. A regimen of mifepristone and misoprostol is a safe and effect

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