Scott, Cassidy, Colleagues Seek Answers on FDA Approving Dangerous Chemical Abortion Drug

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) joined U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, and other Republican senators in seeking answers on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recent approval of another generic chemical abortion drug that endangers the health and safety of mothers. This decision undermines President Trump’s pro-life and pro-family agenda. 

Scott and Cassidy were joined by U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Mike Lee (R-Utah), James Risch (R-Idaho), John Cornyn (R-Texas), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Jon Husted (R-Ohio), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.).

“To be clear: this approval fails to mitigate the risks to women that have been identified and fails to protect women from the coercive use of the drug,” wrote the senators. “It also flies in the face of President Trump’s strong statement that he is ‘the most pro-life president’ in history and his dedication to protecting the lives of unborn children and keeping women safe.”  

In addition to approving another form of the chemical abortion drug, the FDA has failed to take concrete steps to reinstate commonsense protections to safeguard women from serious safety risks. Both FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. pledged to senators in their confirmation hearings to study the safety of chemical abortion drugs and assess whether to reinstate these commonsense protections that past Democrat administrations removed.  

“In light of the FDA’s approval of another means of chemical abortion under the same flawed REMS framework, it is imperative that you provide an update on your review of mifepristone and your plans to reinstate necessary safeguards,” continued the senators. 

This letter is supported by Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. 

“Abortion drugs are taking the lives of unborn children, risking the lives of women across America, and undermining the sovereignty of states’ pro-life laws. Women, children and our citizens deserve better,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, President, SBA Pro-Life America. “The lawlessness surrounding the distribution of these drugs—kicking the physician out of the doctor-patient relationship—has put drugs in the hands of abusers of underage girls and women. The horror stories and facts roll in daily, yet the response from the FDA was to approve a cheaper version of a drug that ends unborn lives and sends women to the ER. We are deeply grateful to Chairman Cassidy and his Senate colleagues for leading this critical oversight letter to the FDA.” 

Read the letter here.

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