A bold stand against mail-order abortion pills: Missouri’s attorney general takes action.
In a move that’s sure to spark debate, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has announced a new legal battle against the recent FDA approval of generic mifepristone. Hanaway argues that this drug, when obtained through mail-order, poses serious risks to women’s health and is being rushed into the market without adequate safety measures.
The controversy unfolds: Hanaway’s filing challenges the FDA’s decision, claiming that the risks associated with mifepristone are well-known and growing. She highlights the drug’s potential to cause life-threatening complications, which, she believes, are being overlooked by manufacturers eager to capitalize on the market.
But here’s where it gets controversial: the lawsuit alleges that manufacturers have lowered safety standards, originally designed to identify conditions like ectopic pregnancies, which can only be diagnosed through in-person medical exams. Hanaway believes that without these safeguards, women are being put at risk.
“Mail-order abortion drugs are a dangerous game,” Hanaway states. “Missouri will not stand by and watch as drug companies gamble with women’s lives.”
This case is part of a larger multi-state challenge, with Missouri, Kansas, and Idaho uniting to restore pre-2016 safety standards. These states are demanding that drugmakers and distributors stop mailing abortion pills nationwide, a practice that violates federal law.
And this is the part most people miss: the drug’s labeling reveals that about 1 in 25 women who take chemical abortion drugs end up in the emergency room, facing risks like hemorrhaging and infection. Hanaway emphasizes that these complications are even more likely when the pills are obtained through the mail without medical supervision.
“Mifepristone is not ‘as safe as Tylenol,’ as some claim. It’s a dangerous myth,” she asserts. “Women deserve better than this.”
Hanaway’s actions come as Republican lawmakers in Washington push for tighter oversight of abortion pills and the restoration of safety measures that have been relaxed in recent years. Senator Josh Hawley, in particular, has called on the FDA to “follow the science” and reinstate safety guardrails.
So, what’s your take on this? Do you think the FDA’s approval process needs a closer look, or is this an overreaction? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. This is a complex issue, and your insights could help shed light on a controversial topic.