Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced this week that the FDA will launch a fresh review of mifepristone, the primary drug used for medication abortions in the US. The move comes in response to requests from 22 Republican attorneys general, who've raised concerns about the pill's safety and want to make the rules around it stricter, per ABC News.
Medication abortion now accounts for nearly two-thirds of all abortions nationwide, and it's a key method for patients in states with abortion bans, thanks in part to telehealth services and shield laws that allow providers to mail pills across state lines without fear of legal repercussions. Any change in FDA policy—such as tighter limits on telehealth or a reduced window for use—could sharply restrict access in the post-Roe era, especially in at least 16 states that have largely eliminated in-person abortion services.
In a letter to the attorneys general, Kennedy and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said the agency would conduct an independent review of the "safety and efficacy" of mifepristone. The review was prompted in part by a study from a conservative think tank claiming higher rates of adverse events than previously reported, though this research was neither peer reviewed nor published in a scientific journal.
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Abortion rights advocates, including Planned Parenthood and telemedicine providers, warn that the review could undermine access to a well-studied and widely used medication. They point to decades of data that show mifepristone is safe and effective when used as directed. The Independent notes that last year, the Supreme Court rebuffed a challenge on mifepristone by anti-abortion groups and preserved access to it. The FDA hasn't committed to any rule changes yet, with the latest step simply promising a thorough review of the evidence. The Michigan Independent takes a look at how mifepristone remains under attack, 25 years after it was approved for use.
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