A group of 20 attorneys general are calling for a safety review of the abortion drug mifepristone. The attorneys general have concerns about the drug's safety and potential risks. The demand for a review comes amid ongoing debates about abortion access and regulations. The review is requested to ensure the drug's safety for patients.
4 months ago
A coalition of 22 Republican attorneys general, led by Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, has formally urged the Trump administration to reinstate stringent safety protocols for the abortion drug mifepristone 2 3. Their letter, addressed to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Martin Makary, calls for the restoration of safeguards removed by the Obama and Biden administrations or, failing that, the consideration of withdrawing the drug from the market 2 3.
The attorneys general cite a study published in April by the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC), a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group, as a primary basis for their concerns 2 3. This study, which analyzed 865,727 mifepristone abortions from 2017 to 2023, claims that serious adverse events occur 22 times more frequently than the less than 0.5% rate stated on the drug's label 2 3. Specifically, the study found that 11% of women experienced at least one serious adverse event, such as hemorrhage, sepsis, emergency room visits, or ectopic pregnancy, or required a repeated abortion attempt within 45 days of taking mifepristone 2 3. The coalition contends these findings directly contradict the drug's marketing as "safe" and "effective" 2 3.
The FDA initially approved mifepristone in 2000 and had established a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) in 2011 that mandated in-person prescriptions and provider follow-ups 2 3. However, these crucial safety protocols were relaxed in 2016 and further in 2023, allowing for telehealth consultations, mail-order pharmacies, and self-administration of the drug 2 3. Prescribers are currently only required to report adverse events if the patient dies 2 3. The attorneys general question whether the removal of these protocols was motivated by factors other than patient safety 2 3.
This push by the attorneys general aligns with efforts from U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), who introduced the "Restoring Safeguards for Dangerous Abortion Drugs Act" in May 2 3. This proposed bill would direct the FDA to implement new safeguards, allow women to sue telehealth providers and pharmacies for complications, and prohibit foreign companies from importing the drug 2 3. During a Senate hearing, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. acknowledged the EPPC study as "alarming" and stated that "at very least, the label should be changed," pledging a "top-to-bottom review of the drug" 2 3. In May, over 100 pro-life groups also called for HHS to review the drug's safety and restore previous federal regulations 2 3.
Mifepristone, used in conjunction with misoprostol, accounted for 63% of U.S. abortions in 2023, according to the Guttmacher Institute, though the actual number may be higher due to underreporting 2 3. Despite calls for review, FDA Commissioner Martin Makary previously indicated no plans to alter mifepristone policies unless new safety data emerged, maintaining that periodic evaluations have not identified new concerns 2 3. In 2024, the Supreme Court rejected a challenge to mifepristone's availability, declining to rule on the legality of the relaxed regulations 2 3.
What is the Church's teaching on the dignity of life?
The Catholic Church teaches that human life is sacred and possesses inherent dignity from conception until natural death . This dignity is rooted in the fact that every human person is created in the image and likeness of God and is called to a unique relationship with Him .
The Church's understanding of human dignity is based on several key principles:
The Church consistently proclaims the sacred and inviolable character of every human life from its conception until its natural end . This moral judgment applies even to the life of an embryo before implantation .
The Church's defense of life extends to opposing actions that directly violate its sanctity and dignity:
The right to life is the most basic and fundamental right, serving as the condition for all other personal rights . If the right to life is not defended with maximum determination, other human rights become false and illusory . The erosion of respect for the life of any individual or group diminishes respect for all life .
Catholics have a positive duty to contribute to the common good and act in solidarity with those in need, in addition to opposing intrinsically evil acts . The Church seeks to share the full truth about life as taught by Jesus Christ, not to impose its morality, but to promote the sacredness of life as a consequence of the Christian understanding of human existence .