Yesterday, Representative Jerry Nadler of New York took to Twitter to express his support for the continued availability of Mifepristone. In a tweet, he stated that “Mifepristone remains safe and effective, just as it was when first approved by the FDA over 20 years ago,” and shared a link to a longer statement on the issue.
The statement, which was posted on Medium, goes into further detail about why Rep. Nadler believes Mifepristone should remain available nationwide. The drug, also known as RU-486, is used in combination with misoprostol to terminate early pregnancies up to 10 weeks gestation. It has been available in the United States since 2000 and is regulated by the FDA’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program.
According to Rep. Nadler’s statement, Mifepristone is an important option for women seeking abortion care in areas where access to clinics may be limited or nonexistent. He argues that restricting access to this medication would disproportionately harm low-income individuals and people living in rural areas.
In addition, Rep. Nadler points out that Mifepristone has a long history of safety and efficacy. Despite attempts by anti-choice activists to portray it as dangerous or risky, numerous studies have shown that it is both safe and effective at terminating early pregnancies.
To support his position on this issue, Rep. Nadler filed an amicus brief along with members of the Pro-Choice Caucus urging the Supreme Court not to take up a case challenging REMS restrictions on Mifepristone during the COVID-19 pandemic. These restrictions require patients who wish to obtain Mifepristone through telemedicine consultations rather than in-person visits with providers must do so under additional regulations meant only for drugs posing significant safety concerns such as opioids.
Critics argue that these restrictions are unnecessary given Mifepristones safety record and the fact that other medications with similar risks are not subject to such stringent requirements. They also argue that these restrictions place an undue burden on women seeking abortion care, especially during a pandemic when in-person visits may be more difficult or dangerous.
The case in question, FDA v. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, has been ongoing since 2020 when a federal judge temporarily suspended the REMS restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Supreme Court is expected to decide soon whether or not to take up the case and could ultimately determine whether Mifepristone will remain available through telemedicine consultations or if additional barriers will be put in place for patients seeking this medication.
It remains unclear what impact Rep. Nadler’s statement will have on this issue, but it is clear that he believes strongly in the importance of maintaining access to safe and effective abortion care for all who need it. As the debate over reproductive rights continues to heat up across America, statements like this one from lawmakers could prove crucial in shaping public opinion and influencing policy decisions around these important issues.