A federal appeals court in New Orleans Friday temporarily blocked ‌a federal rule allowing the abortion drug mifepristone to be dispensed through ​the mail.

A panel of the 5th ​U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Louisiana would likely succeed in its challenge to the federal rule that was adopted under the Biden administration, according to Reuters. 

The order also adds to a lower court's ruling that found Louisiana and the abortion drug coercion survivor Rosalie Markezich would likely win the case, but said the lower court erred in denying immediate relief and the Food & Drug Administration can still complete its safety review of mifepristone.

“The public interest is not served by perpetuating a medical practice whose safety the agency admits was inadequately studied," the ruling reads. "Indeed, the public interest demands the opposite.”

The ruling, although temporary, significantly curtails access ​to the drug nationwide and ⁠particularly in states that have ​banned abortion. A previous rule required the drug to be dispensed in person.

Pro-life groups, such as the Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America and the National Association of Christian Lawmakers, praised the ruling.

“Today’s ruling is a huge victory for victims and survivors of Biden’s reckless mail-order abortion drug regime," SBA Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a statement. "Women and children suffer and state sovereignty is violated every day the FDA allows abortion drugs to flood the mail.

“Mail-order abortion drugs are the biggest factor in rising abortion rates after Dobbs and a new wave of violence toward pregnant women, fueled by easy online access to deadly drugs," she continued. “Ignoring the dire abortion drug crisis won’t make it go away ...  It never should have gone this far."

The NACL said the ruling supported the association's arguments in the amicus curiae brief it provided in support of Louisiana.

"The court recognized that the FDA removed critical safeguards without adequate evidence and that those decisions are causing real-world harm to women and to the states," NACL Chief Legal Officer Bob Ballinger said in a statement. "This ruling confirms that when federal agencies ignore both the law and the consequences of their actions, courts will step in.”

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.