(Washington, D.C.): This afternoon, Americans United for Life (AUL) met with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner, Dr. Marty Makary, calling for an immediate update on the agency’s promised review of the abortion pill, mifepristone. Despite the passage of more than six months since a pledged review, progress remains slow-moving with the FDA. For the safety of women, the Administration should continue to conduct thorough evaluations of the dangers of these drugs. This is a promise that the Administration must not break.
John Mize, CEO of AUL, stated, “It is glaringly obvious that flawed political calculations are superseding the health and safety of women for those in the White House advising President Trump to stall the FDA’s review of mifepristone. To avoid political backlash in the upcoming midterm elections, advisors within the Administration are acting on a false premise, that emphasizing the importance of women’s safety and direct in-person consultation with her clinician is a political liability. Women’s health and safety have been winning issues in almost every other political arena. It is here, as well. According to a recent poll by McLaughlin & Associates, over 70% of 1600 general population voters agree that preserving the in-person consultation makes sense.”
“By delaying the promised review for political reasons,” Mize continued, “politicians are only pushing back the inevitable. We are confident the data will certainly point to, at minimum, the restoration of commonsense safety measures such as the in-person consultation for mifepristone. Pushing the review past the midterms and closer to the next presidential election leaves women exposed to harm and would only be more devastating politically. If the Administration permits Commissioner Makary and the FDA to proceed with the review, it affirmatively states that women’s health and safety continue to be at the core of the administration. It will energize the pro-life movement, mobilizing a key voting demographic in the run-up to the midterms. Doing nothing will continue harming women and will fracture the party in demonstrable ways.”
Sarah Zagorski, Senior Director of Communications and Public Relations for AUL, added, “The wellbeing of women must take precedent over political gamesmanship and regulatory complacency. The FDA must confront the evidence and correct the mistakes that have allowed an unsafe system for women resulting in injury and coerced or forced abortions. Our emphasis is on keeping women safe, and if recent projections of adverse events resulting from the abortion pill are verified by the FDA’s review, approximately 300 women per day are being harmed by this drug.”
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.
