Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is gaining support from Senate Republicans for a bill that would revoke Food and Drug Administration approval of the abortion drug mifepristone and restrict its distribution.
The Hill reported that the legislation has picked up support from Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas; Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C.; and Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., as Republicans move to curb access to the drug.
The Safeguarding Women from Chemical Abortion Act would make the distribution and labeling of mifepristone for abortion a violation of the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and allow women harmed by chemical abortion to sue manufacturers for damages.
Hawley warned senators in a "Dear Colleague" letter that without action, "mifepristone will continue to expose increasing numbers of American women to severe risks."
He said changes under the Obama and Biden administrations removed safety rules originally put in place when the drug was approved in 2000.
"Mifepristone can now be shipped through the mail with the click of a button," Hawley wrote, adding that the drug accounts for 70% of abortions in the United States and has been used by at least 7.5 million women.
Hawley argued the drug's availability has weakened the Supreme Court's 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade by allowing abortions to continue despite state-level restrictions.
"Every pro-life group has endorsed this bill," Hawley told The Hill. "I think it's important for two reasons: Number one, it's focusing attention on the fact that this drug used for abortion causes serious adverse health effects."
"Number two, the drug makers, particularly Danco, are just making profits like you wouldn't believe, and they're sitting in the Cayman Islands not accountable to anybody," he said.
Hawley said he has not spoken with GOP leadership about a vote but argued, "We should vote on this bill."
"This is the future of the life movement; it's going to be about mifepristone," he said.
"Because right now, it really doesn't matter what you pass in the states because mifepristone just gets mailed in," he said, arguing abortions continue to rise despite state laws.
He also wrote that "no woman who has suffered from this drug has any meaningful option to recover from the two drug companies who make it, mislead about its effects, and profit from it to the tune of billions of dollars."
Hawley has cited a study of 875,000 prescriptions that found 11% of women experienced "serious health effects."
The FDA estimates the rate of serious adverse effects at 0.5%, and the Kaiser Family Foundation notes other studies have reached similar conclusions.
"It is time for Congress to ban the use of mifepristone for abortion," Hawley said at a media briefing two weeks ago announcing his plan that included testimony from women who said they were harmed by the drug.
"And it is time for Congress," he added, "to give the victims, the survivors — many of whom are here today — the right to recover against this company that has inflicted harm on them solely for the purpose of making profits."
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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