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HHS Orders Comprehensive FDA Review of Mifepristone Safety Amid Controversial Study

Health Secretary RFK Jr. cites unverified data from a conservative think tank as reason to reassess the abortion pill's safety and regulations.

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Sen. Josh Hawley speaks during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing on Capitol Hill on April 18, 2024, in Washington, D.C.
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Overview

  • HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has directed the FDA to conduct a full review of mifepristone regulations, citing new safety data from a contested study.
  • The study by the Ethics & Public Policy Center claims a 10.93% rate of serious adverse events, a figure significantly higher than FDA-approved labeling indicates.
  • The analysis has faced criticism from medical experts for being unreviewed and for mischaracterizing complications such as ectopic pregnancies and procedural follow-ups.
  • Anti-abortion groups are leveraging the study to push for reinstating restrictions, including bans on telemedicine prescriptions and limiting use to seven weeks of pregnancy.
  • The FDA, under Commissioner Marty Makary, will evaluate the data to determine if changes to mifepristone labeling or access protocols are warranted.