FDA Reviews Abortion Pill Safety, Raising Prospect of New Limits

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has launched a new study into the safety of the abortion pill mifepristone, a move that could pave the way for future restrictions on the drug’s distribution or use, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The White House-backed study will use existing drug safety monitoring systems and is expected to last about six months. The FDA is also considering hiring an outside contractor to collect and analyze data on mifepristone use.

Preliminary internal results could be available as early as July, but final conclusions are not expected before the November midterm elections.

Mifepristone is used together with misoprostol in medication abortions during the first 10 weeks of pregnancy. The method accounts for about two-thirds of abortions in the United States.

Access to the abortion pill remains one of the most contentious issues in American politics after the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which had recognized a constitutional right to abortion.

(reuters, max)