Missouri Certifies Abortion Ban Amendment Amid Legal Challenges

Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has certified a constitutional amendment (Amendment 3) for the November 2026 ballot that would largely ban abortions except in cases of medical emergencies, fetal anomalies, rape, or incest up to 12 weeks, and would also ban gender transition treatments for minors. The ACLU has sued, calling the ballot language misleading, and a Jackson County judge has blocked most abortion restrictions, prompting Planned Parenthood to resume abortions in Kansas City, with the state's attorney general planning to appeal. Meanwhile, a coalition of biotechnology leaders urged the FDA under the Trump administration to maintain science-based regulation of mifepristone, emphasizing its safety and importance to reproductive healthcare, in response to political pressure to restrict the drug. Contrarily, pro-life groups including CatholicVote and the Christ Medicus Foundation have called for a federal investigation into mifepristone, citing studies claiming higher-than-reported risks of serious adverse events such as hemorrhage and sepsis, and criticizing the FDA for loosening safety restrictions under previous administrations. These pro-life organizations argue that current FDA policies fail to protect women adequately, urging reinstatement of in-person provider requirements and safety protocols removed in recent years. This debate highlights a deep divide between scientific consensus supporting mifepristone's safety and pro-life concerns over its risks, framed within the broader national conflict over abortion access and drug regulation.