Chemical abortion is a method that uses an abortifacient to stimulate uterine contractions and end the pregnancy in a process similar to miscarriage. According to the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute, chemical abortions made up 53% of all abortions in 2021.
As many states severely restricted or banned access to surgical abortion following the Dobbs decision in 2022, this number is likely now much higher. Because these drugs not only take the life of a preborn child but also pose serious threats to the women who take them, the ERLC has previously asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to categorize the abortion pill mifepristone as an “imminent hazard to the public health.”
However, the FDA under the Biden administration has moved to increase access by permanently allowing these abortion pills to be delivered by mail. In January of 2023, the FDA moved to allow local retail pharmacies to dispense these drugs in states where it is legal, furthering the accessibility of these life-taking drugs and putting more women and preborn children at risk.
The ERLC continues to push back against mail-order abortion drugs and supports federal legislation, such as the SAVE Moms and Babies Act, which would codify regulatory standards into federal law, protecting both preborn children and mothers from harm caused by such medication.
This letter was sent to Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc in January of 2024.
