(Washington, D.C.): Three days after the release of an analysis by the Ethics and Public Policy Center showing chemical abortion to be 22 times as dangerous as the FDA currently recognizes, Americans United for Life (AUL) has released Stop Harming Women: Legal Restrictions on Prescribing or Dispensing Dangerous Abortion Pills, a policy guide to provide a comprehensive overview of our nation’s state abortion laws and policy recommendations to protect women from the serious danger of mifepristone.
In light of the EPPC’s new data on real-world experiences with chemical abortion, Americans United for Life urges state lawmakers and law enforcement officials to reaffirm their commitment to protecting women from this dangerous drug. AUL’s Stop Harming Women policy guide is a state-by-state compilation of laws that regulate chemical abortion, provided to facilitate accountability for abortion advocates and others who would seek to circumvent commonsense health and safety laws that protect women from the unacceptable risks associated with mifepristone.
Often, state enforcement agencies are more empowered to protect women than they think. While some states fail to regulate abortion at all, many states also regulate in-person dispensing and telehealth requirements for chemical abortion, documentation and data reporting requirements, informed consent laws, and even provide women avenues for civil action against abortion businesses. Knowing your state’s laws, or lack thereof, also provides insight to where state policymakers can propose legislation to fill these gaps.
Steven Aden, Chief Legal Officer & General Counsel of AUL, emphasized the importance of this guide, saying:
“We know that nearly half of all states have strong laws to protect life, many of those from early gestation. And now, we have conclusive data that mifepristone is far more dangerous to women than the FDA claimed it was when it approved chemical abortion. The time to begin enforcing these laws has passed, but that does not mean it’s too late. If the pro-life states are going to work together to build a true culture of life, proper enforcement must start now.”
John Mize, CEO of AUL, added:
“The analysis we have now is only confirming the stories we have heard from women for decades. As a nation, we must renew our efforts to protect women. AUL will continue to call upon the FDA to make broad, regulatory changes to protect women from this dangerous drug while also working alongside states to enforce laws already in place.”
For more information or to arrange an interview with AUL, contact Gavin Oxley at press@aul.org or 202-987-3321.
Since 1971, Americans United for Life (AUL) has advanced the human right to life in culture, law, and policy by equipping advocates and lawmakers with the facts and strategies that change hearts and minds and protect human life. The first national pro-life organization in the country, AUL is a nonprofit, public-interest law and policy organization with a four-star rating from Charity Navigator.
