US Senator Josh Hawley (Missouri) has introduced new legislation aimed at removing federal approval for the abortion drug mifepristone, arguing that the pill poses serious risks to women and, more significantly, ends the lives of unborn children.
The proposal, titled, The Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act, would revoke the approval granted by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the use of mifepristone in abortion procedures. If enacted, the bill would effectively ban the drug’s use pertaining to abortion nationwide and classify its distribution for that purpose as a violation of federal law.
Hawley says the legislation is necessary to protect both women’s health and unborn life in the face of what pro-life advocates describe as the growing normalisation of chemical abortions.
“The science is clear: the chemical abortion drug is inherently dangerous to women and prone to abuse,” Hawley said in a statement announcing the bill. He also criticised pharmaceutical companies profiting from the drug while, in his view, downplaying its potential risks.
What does mifepristone do?
Mifepristone is the first of two drugs commonly used in chemical abortions. In a first trimester medical abortion, which is encouraged up to 10 weeks gestation, the woman takes the mifepristone pill, which serves the purpose of blocking progesterone. As a result, the lining of the woman’s uterus breaks down, cutting off oxygen and nutrients to the embryo. Then 1-2 days after the first pill is taken, the woman takes misoprostol, the purpose of which is to force the dead embryo out of her uterus.
Chemical abortions purportedly now account for a majority of abortions in the US. One estimate suggests the drug was used in roughly 63% of abortions in 2023, highlighting how central it has become to the abortion industry.
Pro-life advocates argue that the expansion of chemical abortions has dramatically increased the number of abortions performed, even in states that have passed pro-life protections following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn federal abortion precedent in 2022.
Hawley has also warned that the pills are increasingly distributed through telehealth consultations and mailed across state lines, sometimes without in-person medical supervision. Critics say this practice raises concerns about complications, lack of follow-up care, and the possibility that women could be pressured into abortions.
SPUC Comment
Commenting on this latest development from the US, SPUC’s Michael Robinson said:
“Since the FDA approved the use of mifepristone back in 2000, an estimated 7.5 million women have used it to facilitate the killing of their unborn child. This points to a staggering loss of life in itself, but this tragedy is compounded by the fact that this pill is now being used in the home setting, creating a whole host of risks to the women using it. This move from Senator Hawley is, therefore, welcome news.”
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