Fifty-one Republican senators are calling on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reconsider their approval of a new generic version of the chemical abortion drug mifepristone.
In a letter sent Oct. 9 to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, the lawmakers — led by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. — warned that they are “deeply concerned” by the drug’s approval and urged the agencies to suspend further authorizations until a full safety review is completed.
The senators praised Kennedy and Makary for their “strong commitment to reevaluating the policies” that affect the unborn but warned them that “the work is far from over.”
They added that “the timing of this approval appears inconsistent with the comprehensive safety reassessment your agencies have prioritized. Out of respect for this important review, and with full confidence in your dedication to protecting women’s health, states’ rights, and unborn life, we urge you to take decisive action to reevaluate whether this generic version of mifepristone is suitable to enter the market.”
On Sept. 30, the FDA quietly approved a new generic version of mifepristone, CatholicVote previously reported.
The senators also urged the administration to reinstate in-person medical consultations before abortion drugs are prescribed, withdraw FDA guidance allowing pharmacies to distribute mifepristone, include generic versions in the ongoing safety review, and suspend distribution of the drug as an “imminent hazard.”
“If the federal government allows the abortion pill to be sent by mail, it would wipe out all state laws that protect the unborn, particularly states that restrict abortion at twelve weeks and under,” Graham told Just The News, which first obtained the letter. “If you believe that protecting the unborn is a state issue, you cannot have the federal government undercutting that position by allowing the abortion pill to be sent through the mail.”
The Biden administration previously loosened safety protocols for mifepristone, allowing the drug to be prescribed through telehealth and mailed directly to patients. Pro-life advocates have warned that such access enables abuse, citing cases in which women were allegedly drugged by partners without their consent.
The letter was signed by the Republican senators, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley of Iowa, and Indiana Sen. Jim Banks.
Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America President Marjorie Dannenfelser praised the senators’ action in an Oct. 9 statement, saying her group is “deeply grateful” for the senators’ work in “urging the FDA to act swiftly to protect women and unborn children.”
“Our government must immediately reinstate the commonsense safeguards that were in place during President Trump’s first term while they conduct a comprehensive study on these dangerous drugs,” Dannenfelser added. “Every day they wait, more unborn Americans die and more women and girls go to the ER with serious complications.”
As CatholicVote has reported, a study by the Ethics and Public Policy Center analyzing mifepristone abortions between 2017 and 2023 found that among 865,727 cases, 10.93% of women experienced severe or life-threatening events within 45 days of the abortion.
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