news

Today, U.S. Congressman Bob Latta (R-OH05) and U.S. Senator Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) led 75 of their colleagues from the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate in calling for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to reverse its illegal actions in promoting mail-order chemical abortion drugs.

In the letter to FDA Commissioner Robert Califf, M.D., the lawmakers explain the policy and legal faults in the FDA decision to approve chemical abortion drugs and then further eliminate the in-person dispensing in an attempt to make the do-it-yourself abortion drugs available by mail.

“The FDA’s action promotes dangerous do-it-yourself abortions by mail and telemedicine without ever seeing a doctor in person, and turns brick-and-mortar pharmacies and post offices into abortion centers. Through this abuse of discretion, the FDA has put the profits and political agenda of the abortion industry over the science and clear evidence that abortion drugs present grave dangers to pregnant mothers and their unborn babies,” the lawmakers wrote.

  The lawmakers describe the FDA’s Jan. 3 action as “dangerous, reckless, and illegal” in that it:

• Threatens the health and safety of pregnant mothers by eliminating the requirement for in-person dispensing, increasing risks of potentially life-threatening complications without an in-person screening.
• Violates the FDA’s legal obligations to protect the safety of women and girls.
• Violates longstanding federal criminal laws barring the mailing and shipping of abortion drugs.
• Imperils the conscience rights of pharmacists by failing to provide protections for pharmacists who do not want to participate in abortion.

The letter has been endorsed by the SBA Pro-Life America, Americans United for Life, CatholicVote, March for Life, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, National Right to Life, Concerned Women for America, Heritage Action, Students for Life of America, Family Research Council, Scholars with the Ethics and Public Policy Center, Family Policy Alliance, and Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.

Read a signed copy of the letter here.

The letter complements the reintroduction of the Support and Value Expectant (SAVE) Moms and Babies Act.  Latta introduced the measure in the House on Jan. 20, and Hyde-Smith introduced the measure (S.95) in the Senate today. 

The SAVE Moms and Babies Act would reinstate the in-person dispensing requirement for abortion drugs, blocking their remote distribution by mail or through telemedicine, and also improve reporting requirements for complications.  It would also prevent FDA approval of any new abortion drugs and prevent the further loosening of regulations of abortion drugs with previous FDA approval.