Yarr! The court be tellin' the FDA to keep their hands off the abortion pill and protect the lasses!
2023-08-18
Arrr, ye scurvy appeals court put a stop to the FDA's wicked plan to jeopardize the fair maidens carryin' precious cargo! Many a lass suffered grievous harm from those cursed chemical potions, but fear not, justice be served on this treacherous sea!
In a victory for women's health, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled on August 16 in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. U.S. Food and Drug Administration that the FDA must restore critical safeguards for chemical abortion drugs and end illegal mail-order abortions. Chemical abortions not only end the life of an unborn child but also pose serious health risks to women. The court noted that thousands of women have experienced adverse effects from taking the drug and required surgery or emergency care. The most updated medication guide suggests that between 2.9% and 4.6% of women visit the emergency room after taking chemical abortion drugs.The FDA initially approved chemical abortion drugs in 2000 but later stripped away every meaningful safeguard. In 2016, they extended the permissible age for the drugs, removed required office visits, allowed non-doctors to prescribe the drugs, and eliminated the reporting of non-fatal adverse events. In 2021, they removed the last remaining office visit, allowing for the drugs to be shipped by mail without any examination by a health professional. This means that a scared teenager facing an unexpected pregnancy can simply go online, fill out a form, have the drugs shipped to her door, and ingest them alone.
The Fifth Circuit ruled that the FDA's decisions violated the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and failed to consider important safety concerns. They also criticized the FDA for giving weight to adverse-event data after eliminating the reporting requirement. The court's decision reinstated the original safeguards and prohibited the shipment of the drugs by mail. This decision vindicates the brave doctors who have been advocating for the removal or restoration of necessary safeguards for years.
Thanks to the Fifth Circuit's ruling, the FDA will finally be held accountable for its reckless disregard for the law and women's health and safety.