By: Eniola Owoyele
Abortion as an overarching topic is highly polarizing in society today, and medication abortion is treated no differently. A critical component of the opposition’s argument is the supposed dangers associated with medication abortion. However, recent findings have raised questions about the validity of this argument and other popularized medications. In the U.S., mifepristone is one of the two medications that make up the “abortion pill.” Although the FDA approved it over 20 years ago, mifepristone still cannot be picked up in the pharmacy without it being prescribed by a "certified prescriber." This is in direct contrast to the ease that users of the prescription drug, Viagra, have when seeking it. Even though both drugs were FDA-approved around the same time, Viagra - which has found popularity in treating erectile dysfunction - went on to be widely received while mifepristone is still heavily regulated. Mifepristone has remained in the FDA’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) program for the riskiest drugs, despite having found no new health risks and it is the only drug in this program that does not need to be administered in a physician's office (FDA 2021). Research has shown that mifepristone is safer than several common drugs, but is restricted because of the stigmatization of abortion. Viagra has a “death rate 4x greater than” mifepristone (Hill 2020).
With the recent overturning of Roe v Wade, abortion care has become impossible for some pregnant people. There is a variety of reasons why people seek abortion care. Pregnancy can come with a host of life-threatening conditions and in some cases, abortions are life-saving treatments.
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