A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily halted Louisiana’s lawsuit seeking to restrict nationwide access to the abortion drug mifepristone, ruling that the case should not move forward while the federal government conducts a review of the medication’s safety.

U.S. District Judge David Joseph, based in Lafayette, said it would be more appropriate to allow the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to complete what he described as a “good faith, evidence-based” review before the court considers further legal action. The decision delays Louisiana’s challenge to a 2023 FDA rule that expanded access to mifepristone by allowing it to be distributed through the mail.

Louisiana officials had asked the court to block the rule immediately while the case proceeds, but Joseph denied that request for now. He indicated, however, that the state could renew its effort once the case resumes and suggested such a request may ultimately succeed.

The legal dispute centers on the FDA’s decision to ease restrictions on mifepristone, a drug first approved in 2000 and now used in a majority of U.S. abortions. The 2023 rule removed the requirement that the drug be dispensed in person, significantly expanding access, particularly in states where abortion laws have tightened.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said the state plans to appeal the pause and will ask the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to intervene and block the rule. The appeals court previously ruled against earlier FDA efforts to loosen restrictions on the drug, though the U.S. Supreme Court later dismissed that case on procedural grounds without addressing the underlying issues.

The FDA initiated its current review of mifepristone last year, but the process has reportedly been delayed. Federal officials have argued that Louisiana lacks legal standing to bring the lawsuit and asked the court to pause proceedings until the review is complete.

The case is part of a broader wave of legal battles over abortion policy following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which returned regulatory authority over abortion to the states. Since then, many Republican-led states have enacted restrictions, contributing to a rise in medication-based abortions and increased scrutiny of drugs like mifepristone.

Medication abortion typically involves a two-drug regimen using mifepristone followed by misoprostol and is approved for use during the early stages of pregnancy.

Pharmaceutical companies involved in manufacturing the drug, including GenBioPro and Danco Laboratories, have intervened in the case to defend the FDA’s rule. In court filings, the companies argue that there is no scientific basis for reversing the agency’s decision to expand access and warn that changes could significantly impact their operations.

The outcome of the FDA’s review and subsequent court rulings could have major implications for abortion access nationwide, particularly as states and federal agencies continue to clash over regulatory authority.