DeepSummary
Max Fisher and Erin Ryan discuss how the abortion pill mifepristone has revolutionized abortion access in America, leading to an increase in abortions even after the overturning of Roe v. Wade. They trace the history of mifepristone, from its development in France and Brazil to its eventual approval by the FDA in 2000 after legal challenges by anti-abortion activists.
They explain how the anti-abortion movement, viewing mifepristone as a new threat after the fall of Roe, is now challenging the pill's approval through a lawsuit before the Supreme Court. The lawsuit aims to either ban mifepristone entirely or reinstate strict regulations on its prescription, arguing that the FDA improperly approved the drug based on flawed scientific reasoning.
While the Supreme Court justices seem skeptical of the plaintiffs' legal standing and arguments, the hosts discuss the potential implications of the case, including the undermining of the FDA's regulatory authority and the potential for further challenges to contraceptives and reproductive healthcare.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The case highlights the precarious nature of abortion access through medication, as it remains vulnerable to potential changes in FDA regulations based on political pressures.
- Mifepristone, also known as the abortion pill, has revolutionized abortion access in America, contributing to an increase in abortions even after the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
- The anti-abortion movement, viewing mifepristone as a new threat, is challenging its FDA approval through a Supreme Court case, aiming to either ban the drug or reinstate strict prescription regulations.
- The Supreme Court justices seem skeptical of the plaintiffs' legal arguments, but a ruling in their favor could undermine the FDA's regulatory authority and open the door for further challenges to contraceptives and reproductive healthcare.
- Mifepristone is also used to manage miscarriages, highlighting the potential broader consequences of restricting access to the drug.
- The ongoing legal battles surrounding mifepristone reflect the evolving strategies and lengths the anti-abortion movement is willing to go to restrict reproductive rights in the post-Roe era.
- The availability of medication abortion through telemedicine has emerged as a new front in the fight for abortion access, challenging the impact of state-level abortion bans.
- The history of mifepristone's development and approval in the US involved legal challenges, activism, and government intervention, foreshadowing the current controversies surrounding the drug.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “From the moment government approval for the drug was granted, RU 486 became the moral property of women, not just the property of the drug company.“ by French Health Minister
- “If the FDA can change the way that abortion is accessed just by changing a rule about how something is prescribed, then a change in president who decides they want to throw their weight around could possibly bully the FDA into making changes again.“ by Erin Ryan
- “Anti choicers have made it clear they're coming for things like IUD's in the morning after pill. There's a couple states where they've already tried to make it not possible for people to use like government insurance to get an IUD, which is pretty crazy.“ by Erin Ryan
- “If they need to neuter the FDA and thereby endanger the safety of all other drugs in order to eliminate abortion, that's a price they're willing to pay.“ by Erin Ryan
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Episode Information
What A Day
Crooked Media
3/30/24
Mifepristone revolutionized abortion access in America, so much that, two years after the fall of Roe v. Wade, abortions in the United States are up.
But now “Mife” is taking its turn in the crosshairs of the anti-abortion movement, facing a challenge before the Supreme Court that could cut off access to the drug. Can it survive this challenge? And, if so, would that mean the pro-choice movement is quietly winning the fight for abortion access in America?
This week on “How We Got Here,” Hysteria’s Erin Ryan and Offline’s Max Fisher tell the story of how Mifepristone became the anti-abortion movement’s #1 enemy and the new lows that movement has had to go to get this challenge before the court.