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Two More Women Die After Medical Abortion with Abortion Pill RU-486, FDA Warns

By John-Henry Westen

WASHINGTON, March 17, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - In a Public Health Advisory released today, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has alerted consumers to an additional two deaths of women after taking the abortion pill mifepristone (also known as Mifeprix or RU-486).  The known death toll stemming from the abortion drug in the US is six women and countless unborn children since the drug's legalization in 2000.  Beyond that there have been over 600 adverse effects recorded from the drug.

Among the most serious events other than death, 42 women experienced life-threatening hemorrhages, while 68 had severe hemorrhage requiring blood transfusion. There were 66 cases of infection including seven cases of septic shock. Seventeen women had undiagnosed ectopic pregnancies before taking the drug - also a serious and potentially fatal situation, which resulted in the death of one woman. At least 513 of the women required surgery, with 235 of the surgeries deemed emergency. (http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jan/06010301.html )

The Agency received verbal notification of the latest deaths in the United States from the manufacturer, Danco Laboratories.  "At this time we are investigating all circumstances associated with these cases and are not able to confirm the causes of death," said an FDA release.  "However, all providers of medical abortion and their patients need to be aware of the specific circumstances and directions for use of this drug and all risks including sepsis when considering treatment."

Concerned Women for America (CWA) expressed outrage that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) still refuses to pull the abortion pill RU-486 from the market even after today's announcement. “The FDA has pulled other drugs that have caused fewer deaths and less severe complications than RU-486."

The FDA admits that only 10 percent of complications suffered by patients from drugs get reported. Over 800 complications due to RU-486 have been reported to the FDA.

"Two more families are grieving because the FDA refuses to pull this dangerous drug from the market,” said Wright. “By giving its approval, FDA participates in the deception that RU-486 is ‘safe.’ How many women must die before the FDA will act? Are their lives less important than making abortion convenient?”

In light of the newly reported deaths, U.S. Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) urged that Congress take action and pass Holly's Law.  Holly's law, authored by Representative Roscoe Bartlett (HR 1079), would withdraw FDA approval of RU-486 and subject it to a thorough review, which it did not receive for its present approval.  The law is named after 18 year old Holly Patterson who was killed by the dangerous drug. 

"RU-486 was rushed to approval for political purposes by the Clinton Administration, and as a result numerous safety concerns were suppressed, trivialized and overlooked," said Smith, Co-Chairman of the Pro-Life Caucus in the House of Representatives.

See the FDA advisory:
http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/advisory/mifeprex200603.htm

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