Approved in 2000, the abortion pill mifepristone is considered safe by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use up to 10 weeks into pregnancy. The agency reports that fewer than 0.5% of users experience serious adverse effects. Mifepristone, commonly used in combination with misoprostol, is supported by decades of clinical data and widespread medical endorsement.
Conservative Study Challenges Established View
The Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC), led by conservative commentator Ryan T. Anderson, released a study analyzing insurance data from over 865,000 women. It found that nearly 11%—about 94,000—experienced serious complications, including infection, hemorrhaging, and sepsis. Anderson called the findings a direct challenge to prevailing views, likening their impact to a “category 5 hurricane.”
Medical Experts Dispute Findings
Women’s health experts strongly disagree with the EPPC study. Dr. Stella Dantas, past president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, criticized the study as misleading and unreviewed. Dr. Jennifer Lincoln, an Oregon ob-gyn, noted that mifepristone is safer than Tylenol and far less risky than childbirth. She emphasized that 99.7% of users experience no serious complications.
Pro-Life Advocates Demand FDA Reassessment
Pro-life leaders are urging the FDA to reevaluate mifepristone’s safety based on the EPPC study. Brick Lantz from the Christian Medical and Dental Associations called the reported complication rate “alarming.” Katie Glenn Daniel of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America cited additional studies that question the drug’s safety and oppose its deregulation, particularly its availability by mail.
Concerns Over Lack of Medical Supervision
Dr. Christina Francis, CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, argued that unsupervised access to abortion increases the risk. She warned that women may take the drug past the approved gestational limit or without screening for ectopic pregnancy. Francis urged renewed FDA review and stricter regulations to ensure women’s safety.
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Pro-Life Advocates Want FDA to Re-Review Abortion Drug
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