The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States lifted limitations on the delivery of the abortion pill on Thursday. They enabled it to be distributed in various settings, rather than through the same means as in the past.
Provisions Provided by the Decision
After reviewing the unified, joint system, Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) decided the findings support revisions to lessen the strain on patients’ access and the delivery of healthcare services.
Breaking News: Women can get abortion pills by mail for pregnancies up to 10 weeks without seeing a doctor in person, the FDA ruled. The decision comes as the Supreme Court considers whether to roll back abortion rights or even overturn Roe v. Wade. https://t.co/Oc8jDUpHJl pic.twitter.com/4ZY84CtzAH
— The New York Times (@nytimes) December 16, 2021
There will be improvements to the Mifepristone REMS Program, including the following items: removing the requirement that mifepristone is supplied exclusively in particular healthcare venues, such as clinics, physician offices, and hospitals.
They are incorporating a provision that says pharmacies which provide the medicine must be certified into the legislation. Furthermore, the innovation will now allow for the delivery of abortion medicine via mail and the possibility of purchasing it online.
Abortion by medication is dangerous; pro-life supporters have underlined the significance of enacting legislation that compels women to be checked in person by a medical expert before opting to use this type of termination.
Many have also noted the significant risk of abuse if human traffickers or abusers get abortion medications without a doctor’s visit.
Backlash from Pro-lifers
Pro-lifers slammed the FDA for ignoring data showing mifepristone increases women’s ER visits.
The FDA’s decision ignores numerous sets of far more substantial evidence that demonstrates the abortion pill is a significant public health hazard. That risk is expanding, according to Dr. James Studnicki of the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Foundation.
According to The New York Times, “telemedicine appointments for pharmaceutical abortion are prohibited in 19 states, most of which are in the South and the Midwest. It seems likely these and other conservative states will adopt more legislation to restrict access to abortion pills shortly.”
Axios Austin revealed on Thursday that numerous states already restricted access to abortion medications. Almost half of the U.S. states have outlawed or severely limited the abortion drugs mifepristone and misoprostol. More may soon follow.
Indiana prohibits the tablets after ten weeks, but courts have halted Oklahoma and Montana’s measures. In March, the Wyoming Senate approved a bill banning abortion medication.
In Iowa and Ohio, the patient must be accompanied by a physician. Federal courts rejected the laws, citing women’s “undue burden.” The coronavirus outbreak heightened the debate about abortion pills.
FDA to permanently allow people to receive medication abortion pills through mail rather than requiring patients to receive them in person. https://t.co/THzR6qrPqf via @cjnorwoodwrites
— amanda's napping into the new year like 😴🎉✨ (@amzam) December 16, 2021
The Supreme Court decided in January that abortion drugs may no longer be mailed after limits were loosened during the outbreak, rejecting the Trump administration’s petition.
After much debate, the FDA finally decided in April to allow abortion drugs to be sent and prescribed via telemedicine under the COVID-19 medical crisis.
That same letter indicated during the COVID-19 public health crisis, the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research intended to “exercise enforcement authority” for both in-person and mail-order chemical abortion pill distribution requirements.
