FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 14, 2021
Contact: Prudence Robertson, [email protected], 240-672-2828
Chemical Abortion is a Major Public Health Threat to Women and Children
Washington, D.C. – Abortion extremist Joe Biden has nominated former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf for the same position in his administration. During his tenure under Barack Obama, Califf directed the removal of reporting requirements for complications after chemical abortion – obscuring the real dangers of abortion drugs despite evidence that they are unsafe.
The Biden administration is poised to remove longstanding safety protocols surrounding chemical abortion permanently, allowing dangerous at-home, do-it-yourself abortions without medical oversight and putting women and children across the country at even greater risk.
SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser opposed the nomination, saying:
“Robert Califf is the wrong choice for FDA commissioner. His track record under Obama provides evidence of his disregard for life and health. As a direct result of his actions, women are being lied to about the so-called ‘efficacy’ and ‘safety’ of these drugs. If confirmed, Califf will work hand-in-hand with Joe Biden, Xavier Becerra, and the radical abortion lobby to make every mailbox, post office and pharmacy in America function as an abortion center. He must not be confirmed. Senators on both sides of the aisle should want to ensure that any new FDA commissioner will put the safety of women and children first.
“We thank pro-life leaders at both the state and federal level for fighting to enact commonsense safeguards against mail-order abortion drugs. Legislators nationwide should act urgently to guard against the dangers this drug poses to women and their unborn children.”
A new study authored by Dr. James Studnicki and a team of experts at the Charlotte Lozier Institute (CLI) found that chemical abortion is a major public health threat. The study found that the rate of abortion-related emergency room visits following a chemical abortion increased by more than 500% from 2002 through 2015. By analyzing 423,000 confirmed abortions in the 17 states where abortions were publicly funded between 1999 and 2015, CLI scholars also found that the rate of chemical abortion-related ER visits is growing much faster than surgical abortion-related ER visits, and chemical abortion makes subsequent abortions more dangerous.
A separate national study, written in part by CLI scholars, analyzed reported complications from chemical abortions in the U.S. over a 20-year period and found nearly 2,000 “severe” complications, more than 500 life-threatening complications, and more than 20 deaths. The study authors estimated that complications are significantly underreported.
Help is available through the Abortion Pill Rescue Network for women who regret taking the first abortion pill, providing a chance to reverse the effects and save their pregnancies if quick action is taken. Statistics show that the safe, effective abortion pill reversal (APR) protocol has saved more than 2,500 babies.
Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas have enacted state-level safeguards against mail-order abortion drugs, and seven additional states are considering legislation to be introduced next session.
SBA List is a network of 900,000 pro-life Americans nationwide, dedicated to ending abortion by electing national leaders and advocating for laws that save lives, with a special calling to promote pro-life women leaders.
###
