Sen. Hawley Proposes Ban on Mifepristone for Abortions
On Wednesday, Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri revealed his intention to introduce a bill aimed at prohibiting the use of mifepristone in abortions. He dubbed the measure the “Protecting Women from Chemical Abortion Act.” This announcement comes as part of a broader Republican concern regarding the increasing availability of abortion pills in conservative states, a situation facilitated by recent FDA deregulations.
The proposed legislation seeks to revoke the FDA’s approval of mifepristone for abortions, categorize the distribution and labeling of the drug for such purposes as a federal crime, and allow women who feel they have suffered due to abortion medications to file lawsuits against manufacturers.
In a statement, Hawley expressed his concerns about the safety of chemical abortion drugs: “The science is clear: Chemical abortion drugs are inherently dangerous to women and susceptible to abuse. Yet major companies like Danko Laboratories are making billions of dollars from them. That’s why I’m introducing new legislation that would ban the use of mifepristone in abortions and give women the power to sue mifepristone manufacturers. Congress must act now to protect women’s health and safety.”
Hawley referenced a recent study from the Ethics and Public Policy Center, which indicated that 10.93 percent of women who had mifepristone abortions faced serious complications, such as sepsis, infection, or severe bleeding within 45 days. This figure is strikingly higher than the less than 0.5 percent reported in FDA-approved clinical trials. The study analyzed data from a claims database, covering a substantial number of mifepristone abortions from 2017 to 2023.
In light of these findings, calls for a review of the abortion pill’s safety have emerged. However, Republicans and pro-life advocates have accused regulators of dragging their feet, claiming this allows abortion providers in states with protective laws to bypass regulations in states that restrict access.
Mifepristone, also known as Mifeprex, was expedited for approval in 2000 under the Clinton administration by categorizing unintended pregnancies as “serious or life-threatening.” Over the years, safety regulations surrounding the drug have been loosened, particularly during the Obama and Biden administrations. In 2021, the FDA relaxed the rules on in-person dispensing and allowed the mailing of abortion pills. This has raised concerns about how these actions interact with laws in states with stricter abortion regulations.
Representative Diana Hershberger from Tennessee, who is introducing a corresponding bill in the House, voiced her concerns as a pharmacist. She stated, “All medicines approved in the United States must meet the highest standards of safety, transparency, and medical oversight.” She criticized the previous administration for systematically removing significant safety measures regarding mifepristone.
Through personal accounts, women shared their experiences related to health complications from mifepristone. Shanice Thomas, a nursing student from Maryland, recounted her battle with a severe infection following an abortion that ultimately required a partial hysterectomy.
The proposed bill is backed by several conservative and pro-life organizations, reinforcing the active push for stricter regulations concerning abortion medications.
