Sen. Hawley Investigates Mifepristone Manufacturers
Senator Josh Hawley from Missouri has initiated an investigation into two companies, Danko Laboratories and GenBiopro, regarding their financial gains from mifepristone, a medication linked to significant health risks for women.
In a letter addressed to the companies, which was acquired by Fox News Digital, Hawley mentions that he will pursue this investigation through the Senate Judiciary Crime and Counterterrorism Subcommittee that he leads. He states, “There’s increasing evidence indicating that mifepristone entails considerable risks for women, yet your company continues to profit from its widespread use, amidst serious emerging concerns related to complications such as bleeding, infection, and sepsis.”
He further emphasizes the need for Congress to uncover what the companies knew regarding the dangers associated with mifepristone, when that information was acquired, what they communicated to regulators, and what they might have withheld from women and the general public.
As part of this inquiry, he has requested that both companies submit relevant documents by April 24, including any reports of adverse events related to mifepristone and pertinent internal records.
Interestingly, this investigation follows closely after Hawley introduced a new piece of legislation aiming to rescind the FDA approval for mifepristone. This legislation builds upon a previous one he proposed last year, which sought to ban mifepristone and permit women to take legal action against manufacturers of drugs that he labels as “inherently dangerous.”
He expressed, “The evidence is evident: Chemical abortion drugs present inherent dangers for women and are prone to misuse. Despite this, major companies like Danko Laboratories go on to reap billions in profits from these products.” In his view, it’s essential for Congress to act promptly to safeguard women’s health and safety.
A new bill introduced in the Senate is designed to ban the use of mifepristone for pregnancy terminations. If enacted, this could reclassify its distribution for abortion as a violation of federal law. According to the Guttmacher Institute, mifepristone was utilized in approximately 63% of all U.S. abortions in 2023.
The Guttmacher Institute, which has ties to Planned Parenthood, estimates that there will be over a million abortions performed in 2024, though this figure may vary depending on state laws and practices beyond the formal healthcare framework.
Hawley had previously raised concerns about these types of drugs last May, pushing for regulatory measures by the FDA to protect women facing complications, allowing them to sue telemedicine providers and pharmacies if necessary.
A recent study from the Ethics and Public Policy Center revealed that the rate of severe side effects from mifepristone was considerably higher—22 times what the FDA claims. It reported that more than one in ten women experienced significant adverse effects including infections and severe bleeding.
