Abortion providers challenge FDA’s remaining mifepristone restrictions in federal court
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Abortion pills — and questions over their inherent safety —
were back in federal court Monday. Unlike a lawsuit rejected by the U.S. Supreme Court last year, plaintiffs this time are not anti-abortion
activists arguing medication abortion should be banned, but abortion providers arguing the remaining restrictions should be lifted to match the drug’s 25-year record of safety and efficacy.
ThesuitseekstomakeabortionpillsmoreaccessiblebyremovingseveralexistingrestrictionsontheU.S.FoodandDrugAdministration’smifepristone-misoprostolregimenfirstapprovedin2000.ThedrugwasapprovedundertheFDA’sdrugsafetyprogramcalledRiskEvaluationandMitigationStrategy(REMS),provisionsofwhichhave
beensteadilyeliminatedovertimebutnotfully.
OnbehalfofindependentprovidersinVirginia,Montana,andKansas,CenterforReproductiveRightsseniorcounselLindaGoldsteinarguedtheFDA’smostrecentevaluationsdidnotproperlyassesswhetherremainingrestrictionsarestillmedicallynecessary.She
arguedtha
