Federal judge will not block Arizona rules limiting use of abortion drugs

(Reuters) – A federal judge on Monday rejected a request by Planned Parenthood and a private women’s health clinic to block new Arizona regulations that would limit the use of abortion-inducing drugs. The regulations, which go into effect on Tuesday, would require any medicine used to induce an abortion to be administered strictly according to protocols issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and instructions on the label. Planned Parenthood and the Tucson Women’s center sued to overturn the rules and sought a temporary restraining order to stop them from going into effect while the lawsuit was being litigated. They argued that the regulations could force women to travel to other states to get an abortion or prevent them from getting the procedure altogether.