"An FDA safety review sits well with many in the Republican base who are strongly anti-abortion and are pushing hard for new restrictions. On the other hand, President Trump repeatedly pledged during the campaign last year that he would leave abortion policy to the states, to push back against Democratic charges that he would seek a nationwide ban. Any new restrictions would face major political blowback heading into a midterm election year."
"Pro-abortion rights advocates fear the administration will cite safety concerns about mifepristone as justification for moving closer to their goal of limiting access. What they're saying: "Through the FDA, [Health and Human Services] will conduct a study of the safety of the current [safety protocol], in order to determine whether modifications are necessary," Kennedy and FDA commissioner Marty Makary wrote in a letter dated Sept. 19 to attorneys general."
"One of the possible safety options would be bringing back requirements that the drug be dispensed in person, which would cut off telehealth prescribing and the mailing of pills into states with abortion bans. "In some of these states, the abortion rate, the volume of abortion is at the level that it was pre-Dobbs, and in some cases, I think even just a little bit higher," said Alina Salganicoff, director for women's health policy at KFF,"
An FDA safety review of mifepristone is supported by many anti-abortion Republicans seeking new restrictions. President Trump pledged during the campaign to leave abortion policy to the states, creating tension between federal review and that promise. Any federal restrictions could provoke political backlash ahead of midterm elections. Pro-abortion rights advocates fear safety concerns will be used to justify limits on access. Possible options include reinstating in-person dispensing requirements, which would block telehealth prescriptions and mailed pills in states with bans. Telehealth expansion has mitigated some effects of state bans and attracted legal and political pushback.
Read at Axios
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