(WHTM) — A group of Pennsylvania Republicans joined more than 200 lawmakers on a letter requesting Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to investigate the abortion pill mifepristone.
Reps. Dan Meuser, Scott Perry, John Joyce, Lloyd Smucker, Guy Reschenthaler, Glenn “GT” Thompson and Mike Kelly signed the letter, which was sent last week to Kennedy and FDA Commissioner Martin Makary.
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In the letter, lawmakers called mifepristone “baby poison” and requested that, at the very least, the federal government ban the sale of the drug by mail. They also described the drug as “dangerous” for women.
The FDA first approved the drug as safe and effective 25 years ago, and approved another generic version of it in October. Previous requirements only allowed patients to purchase the drug in person, but the FDA started allowing mail order pharmacies to ship the products in 2020.
However, states that ban abortion may have laws overriding the drug’s access.
Anti-abortion pregnancy centers are looking to offer much more than ultrasounds and diapers
Hershey-based cardiologist Dr. Amanda Cai said the lawmakers put ideology above science in a statement released through the Committee to Protect Health Care, a national organization of doctors and health care professionals.
Perry’s district includes Hershey, which is home to Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, the largest medical center in central Pennsylvania.
“In my cardio-obstetrics practice, abortion itself is safer than pregnancy in a significant proportion of patients I care for, who may have serious complications from their heart disease or even die during pregnancy,” Cai said. “Because our patients’ lives are at stake, my fellow physicians and I are speaking up to make sure that we keep abortion care safe, legal and medical — not political.”
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