In the wake of the Supreme Court’s dismantling of the constitutional right to abortion, an abortion rights advocate was dealt a blow when a federal judge in Texas halted the Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the abortion pill mifepristone on Friday, reported news agency Associated Press.
President Joe Biden has stated that his administration will oppose the order issued by a federal judge and that the ruling is the next step in the direction of an abortion ban.
In a series of tweets, the President said, “Today, a federal district judge in Texas ruled that a prescription medication available for over 22 years, approved by the FDA, and used safely by millions of women should no longer be approved in the U.S. Here’s why this matters. And how my Administration is going to fight it.”
Today, a federal district judge in Texas ruled that a prescription medication available for over 22 years, approved by the FDA, and used safely by millions of women should no longer be approved in the U.S.
Here’s why this matters. And how my Administration is going to fight it.
— President Biden (@POTUS) April 8, 2023
“The medication in question is used for medication abortion. It doesn’t just affect women in Texas. If it stands, it’d prevent women across the country from accessing the medication. It’s the next step toward an abortion ban that Republican elected officials vowed to make law,” said Biden, reported AP.
“The Court in this case has substituted its judgment for FDA, the expert agency that approves drugs,” Biden said. “If this ruling were to stand, then there will be virtually no prescription, approved by the FDA, that would be safe from these kinds of political, ideological attacks,” he added.
The Alliance Defending Freedom, which was also involved in the Mississippi case that resulted in the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, filed the lawsuit in the Texas case.
The lawsuit’s central claim is that the FDA’s initial approval of mifepristone was flawed due to an inadequate safety risk assessment.
Know About Abortion Pill Mifepristone
Mifepristone and misoprostol are the two drugs used in a medication abortion to end a pregnancy within the first 10 weeks. It works by blocking progesterone, a chemical that is essential for a pregnancy to proceed.
It is typically prescribed alongside misoprostol, a medication that can also cause contractions and is used to treat stomach ulcers. Mifepristone has been used by millions of women for the past 23 years, and when taken together, the two pills have an efficacy rate of over 95% in safely terminating pregnancies without further intervention.
Mifepristone-related complications have recently been compared to those associated with wisdom teeth removal, colonoscopies, and other routine medical procedures.
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