Poppy Lindsey
Three days into the New Year, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the sale of abortion pills at pharmacies for the first time. The move will expand access to abortion for many US citizens who had their legal right to abortion withdrawn last year, after Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court.
On Tuesday 3rd January, President Biden’s Administration finalised their decision to allow retail pharmacies to offer the drug ‘Mifepristone’ to those who need it. Pharmacies will have to register for certification to distribute the drug, whilst patients will need a prescription from an authorised prescriber to access the medication.
The ruling comes after the FDA first announced the prospect in December 2021. During the coronavirus pandemic, the association temporarily suspended the in-person requirement and permanently removed restrictions on mail-order shipping of the pills and their prescription through telehealth. This led to the FDA conducting a scientific review of the distribution process.
The FDA’s decision contradicts the Supreme Court ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade. On 24th June 2022, legislators ended the legal right to abortion in the United States, dismantling 50 years of legal protection and setting the foundations for individual states to restrict or outright ban abortion rights.
Yet again, we hold our breath as our reproductive rights continue to be attacked.
A Texas judge is deciding whether or not to remove the 1st abortion pill from shelves—already #FDA approved, I might add! We need #MedicationAbortionNow, period. Full stop.https://t.co/dVZnMZvHOr
— Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (@RepJasmine) January 30, 2023
The global response was an outcry of fear and rage, with women worldwide standing in solidarity with all who would be affected by the decision. The recent re-expansion of abortion access will be welcomed by many, but not by all.
As expected, there have been varying reactions to the news. Prominent anti-abortion groups have honed in on the idea that the drug itself is dangerous to women, with Kristen Day, Executive Director of ‘Democrats for Life of America’, stating: “after so many years of abortion extremists warning about the dangers of back-alley abortion, this policy facilitates them”.
The challenge to this claim is found amongst FDA records, which show that only 26 deaths were linked to Mifepristone as of 2021, out of the 4.9 million estimated to have taken it since it was approved in September 2000.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists have expressed their support for the change, naming it an “important step”.
However, the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade cannot be underestimated in its impact. For citizens of those states who enacted the 2022 reversal of rights, it may still mean travelling across the US to access abortion medication, meaning the FDA ruling for abortion pills to be allowed at retail pharmacies does not amount to equitable healthcare for all.
Pharmacies can apply for certification to distribute Mifepristone with one of the two companies that produce it, ‘Danco Laboratories’ and ‘GenBioPro’. But will they?
The Biden admin continues to abuse the rights of the unborn by approving dangerous mail-order abortion drugs. I joined 76 of my Senate & House colleagues in demanding the FDA protect life & reverse this reckless campaign.https://t.co/bBy6a9q0V7
— Jim Risch (@SenatorRisch) January 30, 2023
It is predicted that many will not, out of fear of backlash from active anti-abortion groups and pro-life members of the public. If a valuable stakeholder of a retail pharmacy holds an anti-abortion view, it is also unlikely that the pharmacy will be put forward to register for the distribution of abortion medications such as Mifepristone.
The Republicans soon responded with a Bill aiming to restrict the distribution of easily accessible abortion pills. Biden’s FDA allowed for the medication to be prescribed via telemedicine and by mail, as well as by pharmacies, however the Republican Bill would result in the nullification of this decision.
Republican representative Diana Harshbarger criticised the FDA’s decision, arguing it was made “at the expense of women’s health”. It could also be the case that the FDA will be prevented from creating rule changes like this one in the future, curbing abortion access even further.
Featured image courtesy of Christine Sandu via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
Poppy Lindsey
Poppy graduated from the University of Reading in June 2022, with a degree in Philosophy and Politics. She currently works as Welfare Officer at Reading Students Union, and is starting formal journalism training in September 2023 at News Associates. She has a keen interest in human rights, social action, and the intersectional feminist movement.