The battle over the abortion pill continues in the United States. The US government on Monday (April 10) asked a federal appeals court to guarantee access to this abortifacient drug, used by women in the very first weeks of an unwanted pregnancy. "Extraordinary and unprecedented decision" by a federal court in Texas that suspended this authorization, must "be blocked pending substantive review" of the case, writes the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden in its appeal .
The United States Medicines Agency (FDA) deemed in 2000 that mifepristone (RU 486) was "safe and effective" for terminating a pregnancy and authorized its marketing, recalls the government. Since then, more than five million American women have used it, and when taken as directed, "serious side effects are extremely rare," he said. The trial court decided to deny it to patients "based on its own flawed risk assessment," he wrote.
A coalition of abortion opponents filed a complaint against the FDA in November to challenge the marketing authorization for mifepristone. Strategically, they had filed their appeal in Amarillo, Texas, where the only federal judge, Matthew Kacsmaryk, is known for his ultraconservative views.
On Friday, this magistrate agreed with them: considering, despite the scientific consensus, that mifepristone poses risks to the health of women, he suspended its authorization for the entire United States, pending an examination of the merits of the case. .
One hour after Judge Kacsmaryk's decision, fellow Judge Thomas Rice, appointed by Barack Obama and sitting in Washington State, found mifepristone to be "safe and effective" and banned the FDA from withdraw its license in the 17 appealing states.
On Monday, the federal government sent "a request for clarification" to this judge as to how he should apply his decision, if Judge Kacsmaryk's ruling were allowed to take effect.
