ABOVE: Sue Liebel, director of State Affairs and Midwest Regional Director for the Susan B. Anthony List, appeared on the Wednesday edition of CBN News’ Faith Nation to discuss the new FDA policy on abortion pills. You can watch Faith Nation weeknights on the CBN News Channel, YouTube, or by using the CBN News app.
Retail pharmacies, including local drugstores and major chains, are now able to offer abortion pills if they agree to new rule changes made Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration.
The move broadens the availability of the abortion pill as many states move to restrict abortion after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, last June.
The FDA has expanded on who can provide mifepristone, a pill used in the two-drug chemical abortion. Now pharmacies, like CVS or Walgreens, will only have to apply for certification with the drugmakers and if granted, the pharmacy will be able to dispense the pill directly to patients.
A recent study reveals more than half of recent abortions in the U.S. were carried out with abortion pills.
But pro-life advocates are warning the move is not only dangerous to pre-born children, but to the women taking the pill.
At week 6, a baby in the womb has a heartbeat.
At week 8, his brain is developing and his facial features are taking shape.
At week 9, his fingers and toes are forming and his eyes are developing color.
At week 10, his life can be ended by the abortion pill.
— March for Life (@March_for_Life) January 3, 2023
“Access to chemical abortion without proper medical oversight runs contrary to science and is not in the best interest of women’s health,” tweeted March for Life.
“The abortion industry does not empower women. It profits from violence committed against mothers and their unborn children,” it added.
Former Planned Parenthood director turned pro-life advocate, Abby Johnson told CBN News in a statement that this is another means for abortion lobbyists to increase their bottom line since Roe v. Wade was overturned. She also says it’s very risky to provide serious drugs without any real medical oversight.
“The thing is, it almost doesn’t even matter that the FDA is allowing the abortion pill to be more widely available because the women aren’t seeing a doctor either way. They aren’t having ultrasounds and some aren’t even verifying they are pregnant. The people dispensing the drugs have no idea who (are) these women are or their medical history,” she explained.
Johnson adds, “While the abortion lobby will say this move is a huge step forward for women, it’s only a step forward for them and for those who manufacture the abortion pills because it means more money for them while throwing women under the bus. They don’t care about the women who are ordering the pills or what will happen to them when they lie on their bathroom floors and think they are dying. That’s exactly what happened to me and it still haunts me to this day. No woman should have to go through that.”
The Biden administration partially implemented the change last year, announcing it would no longer enforce a long-standing requirement that women pick up the medicine in person. Tuesday’s action formally updates the drug’s labeling to allow many more retail pharmacies to dispense the pills, so long as they complete a certification process.
“The Biden Administration is making dangerous Chemical Abortion Pills attainable at every corner as it lowers the medical standards for protecting women,” said Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life for America.
“Making Chemical Abortion Pills accessible at your local pharmacy is certainly not the product of the ‘safe, legal, and rare’ lie we were fed as we fought for the reversal of Roe. The objective of this Administration has always been increased access to dangerous drugs,” she added.
Women would also be able to get a prescription via telehealth consultation with a health professional, and then receive the pills through the mail, where permitted by law.
Legal experts expect years of court battles over access to the pills.
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