| Congress attacks early-option abortion again |
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27 Jun 2005
Anti-choice members of Congress striving to drastically limit the reproductive freedom of American women have extended their assaults to mifepristone, the early-option abortion pill, calling for the annulment of the FDA's 2000 approval of this safe and effective medication. Citing the deaths of two women which have been inconclusively linked to their use of mifepristone, anti-choice lawmakers are rallying around the RU-486 Suspension and Review Act of 2005 which claims that medication abortion causes significant adverse and potentially fatal reactions. The bill challenges the independence of the Food and Drug Administration and attempts to circumvent a stringent process of review, calling for a temporary suspension of mifespristone distribution followed by a review of the FDA's decision which could result in a permanent withdrawal of the approved application. Over the past decade and a half, more than 600,000 women in 18 countries have safely and successfully used mifepristone as an early abortion option. Across Europe and in the United States, numerous studies of the effectiveness and safety of the drug have concluded that medication abortion is a viable alternative to more common surgical procedures. The FDA applied the utmost standards to its approval of mifepristone, issuing requirements for the distribution of the drug to ensure its usage in a safe environment under medical supervision, and has voluntarily upgraded the label in order to include a more comprehensive warning of risks. In fact, in North America, the fatality rate for medication abortion is one death for every 200,000 pregnancy terminations using mifepristone, making it 12-14 times safer than childbirth. In short, mifepristone is a safe alternative to surgical abortion, the FDA approval of the drug was especially thorough, and the RU-486 Suspension and Review Act of 2005 is simply part of the ongoing effort of the anti-choice movement to limit the reproductive freedom of America's women through unfounded attacks on safe medicines and procedures. For more information: American Association of University Women Illinois Times Kaiser Network Daily Report |
