The Political Pill

The overturning of Roe v. Wade created a national and ethical conflict amongst pro-choice voters, and the recent endorsement of Mifepristone by prominent pharmacies adds to the debate.

Elli Westmacott

The concept of abortion is a highly controversial and political debate that raises eyebrows and passions among large swaths of Americans.

The recent overturning of Roe v Wade, a United States Supreme Court ruling that made abortion a constitutional right for 50 years, was followed by nationwide jubilation as well as backlash.

As of now, nearly 24 states have backed up and endorsed the anti-abortion ideals that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of in June of 2022.

Recently, an abortion pill named Mifepristone, which was assessed as safe and effective by the FDA nearly twenty years ago, is now resurfacing, creating yet another explosive issue for the pro-life and pro-choice standpoints to debate.

Major pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens have released statements saying they plan to sell Mifepristone in stores that reside in states where abortion is legal, but they have not started yet.

For those that need abortions due to health issues or other factors, Mifepristone is the safest option according to the FDA, meaning that when it becomes easily accessible, this will be the place where women from all states will be going to in need of an abortion.

Abortion surgery, for some, can be dangerous.

Birth can be worse. For those seeking abortion, especially in banned states, this pill is most convenient, and will soon be most accessible.

Not only does this pill bring up a more obvious option for women in America, but it also brings into question the legalities of different abortion procedures.

The subject being debated is whether women in states where abortion is banned should be allowed to order online and recieve Mifepristone through the mail.

In different states the situation differs, but even in the most restricted of states, the Department of Justice rules that there should be exceptions in which ordering the pill online should be legal.

Similarly, the Biden Administration is fighting for accessibility through mail as well. According to CNBC journalist Spencer Kimball, “the Biden administration last month issued a legal opinion arguing that the Postal Service can mail the pill to states where it is banned if the sender does not intend to break the law.”

Now, this debate is about state laws versus FDA approved brands. Many banned state attorneys are suing ether the FDA for allowing Mifepristone to go on the market or threatening the two major pharmaceutical companies, Walgreens and CVS, that are planning to sell the pill.

In Kimball’s concluding paragraphs, he writes, “anti-abortion physicians have sued the FDA in a federal court in Texas to completely pull Mifepristone from the U.S. market.

The FDA has called that lawsuit ‘extraordinary and unprecedented’ and warned that a decision in the physicians’ favor would harm its approval powers.

To say the least, Mifepristone’s availability to American women looks to be a contentious topic in the nation moving forward.