MARTHA MACCALLUM (CO-HOST): Also fueling the abortion debate today, the Food and Drug Administration easing restrictions on the drug known as the abortion pill. The changes allow women to take the drug later in their pregnancy, and with fewer doctor visits. Leland Vittert live in Washington. Leland, what are these new developments on this drug?

LELAND VITTERT: Well Martha like everything surrounding the abortion debate, even something as simple as changing the dosing on a drug can set off a firestorm. Since the abortion pill was made legal more than a decade ago, doctors found over time that they could lower the dose, that meant less side effects, they could also have fewer patient visits by their patient and they could give it later in pregnancy. And for a long time many doctors have been doing just that without FDA approval. Now they have approval from the FDA to do it. Here is the politics. In a thinly veiled attempt to curb abortions Ohio, Texas, North Dakota, Arizona, and Arkansas, along with Oklahoma, all passed laws requiring doctors to use the old guidelines on the packaging of higher doses, and other restrictions. Now the FDA is undermining those laws by changing the packaging so doctors in any state can use the new, lower dose regimen. One could easily argue this is no different than guideline changes the FDA makes all the time, with only doctors taking note. But given what this drug is for and the controversy surrounding it the fight is far from over. At least one report out of Arizona shows the state legislature there may try to pass a law requiring doctors to still use the old, higher dose guidelines, rather than what the FDA now says is safe.

MACCALLUM: All right. So what are the doctors saying, Leland?

VITTERT: American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists put out a statement saying they were pleased, essentially saying they agreed with this decision. Those on the other side of the abortion debate, not so much. National Right to Life; “it is obvious that the FDA's new protocol serves only the interests of the abortion industry.” On the other side, Planned Parenthood's chief medical officer issued a statement saying, “updating the label to reflect best medical practices represents a significant step forward for science, for women, and for health care providers.” As you can imagine, while the FDA did change the rules regarding this drug, they certainly didn't change any minds in the abortion debate, Martha.

Related:

New F.D.A. Guidelines Ease Access to Abortion Pill

Previously:

The Media's Outrage At Trump's Abortion Comments Ignores That Women Are Already Being Punished

Editorial Boards Highlight Assault On Reproductive Rights By Texas' Anti-Choice Law

Watch John Oliver Slam States' Restrictive Anti-Abortion Laws