District judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ordered a preliminary injunction of the drug mifepristone, one of two drugs used to end pregnancies, which would affect access to it even in states with abortion protections.

Big medical organisations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, have supported the FDA, arguing that mifepristone “has been thoroughly studied and is conclusively safe”.

The decision was quickly criticised by Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, who branded Kacsmaryk “an extremist Republican judge” and called on US attorney-general Merrick Garland to “quickly appeal this decision”.

“Today’s decision blatantly disregards decades of medical research for politically motivated reasons that will jeopardise the health of millions of people nationwide,” said New York attorney-general Letitia James. “Restricting access to safe and effective medication is a dangerous attack on reproductive freedom, public health, and scientific integrity.”

This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:Aime Williams

The US Treasury has proposed requiring insurers to hand over underwriting data, broken down by zip code and covering the last five years, in an attempt to assess the potential for “major disruptions” in insurance coverage in some parts of the country.

But business groups have argued the plans would push up costs for insurers, and accused the Treasury of failing to co-ordinate with state-level regulators, in comments submitted before a deadline this week.

This story originally appeared on: Financial Times - Author:Aime Williams