WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senators John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) recently joined a bicameral effort led by Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and Congressman Bob Latta (R-Ohio) urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to immediately restore more stringent oversight of chemical abortion pills, including the in-person dispensing requirement for the drug mifepristone that the FDA suspended in December.
“FDA’s action to indefinitely repeal basic, commonsense safeguards is reckless and exposes women to unnecessary risks. Even with the stronger Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) in place, mifepristone posed serious risks that have been increasing over time. A first-of-its-kind longitudinal study, published in November 2021 found that the rate of abortion-related emergency room visits following a chemical abortion increased by more than 500 percent from 2002 through 2015,” the senators said. “In light of comprehensive data showing increasing risks to women, the FDA should strengthen the REMS, rather than loosen them. Therefore, we call on FDA to immediately rescind its removal of the in-person dispensing requirement and to strengthen the REMS in order to protect women’s health.”
In addition to Hoeven, Cramer, and Hyde-Smith, the letter was signed by Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), John Kennedy (R-La.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Michael Rounds (R-S.D.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), James Risch (R-Idaho), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Mitt Romney (R-Utah), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.), as well as 81 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.
The full text of the letter can be read here.
