The history of worlds first abortion pill

Description Access to medical abortion is made difficult even now by

several anti-abortion groups. Here is a brief history of how the first abortion
pill, RU 486 came to be accepted in the US.
Since more than two decades when the first abortion tablet was introduced, there have
been various debates between anti-abortion and pro-choice groups regarding its usage
and ethics. In 1988, when the worlds first abortion pill, RU-486 was approved and
introduced in France, its usage has been restricted in various parts of the world. The
political and social movement that this medication evoked in liberalization of womens
reproductive rights has been documented across decades.
History of the first approved pregnancy cancellation tablet
Before the introduction of pregnancy termination pills, abortion was already a subject
of heated debate among various groups. As abortion was and in some countries still is,
only available in cases of rape/incest assault, potential threat to the womans or childs
life or mental health etc. Only a few decades ago was it made available (in some parts
of the world) for all women who wish to go through the procedure. As it was made
available, slowly but surely access has become easier; now you can buy RU-486
abortion pill online as well as other medicines such as Mifepristone, Misoprostol and
brands such as Mifeprex and Cytotec respectively.
The road to access however was not paved easily. Here are some of the milestones and
hurdles, RU 486 had to go through to be accepted universally.
The invention
A French pharmaceutical company called Roussel-Uclaf developed the first abortion pill
to be approved in the year 1980. It was named as RU 486, now popularly known as
Mifepristone. In the year 1983, the Food and Drug administration issued a permit to the
Population Council to conduct testing of RU486 as an early pregnancy termination
method. Finally, in 1988, the RU-486 was approved in France although distribution of
the pill was halted due to protests. The French Minister of Health, however, ordered the
company to return the product to the market; while anti-abortion groups threatened to
boycott the company.
The intervention
Due to tremendous pressure from the U.S government (Bush administration) the FDA
banned the importation of the pill for personal use. Due to increasing protests the
company issued a notice stating that it wont distribute the drug outside France. Many
leading scientists however came forward and testified before the Congress that the
FDA ban had interfered and hindered beneficial research on its various use such as
treatments for uterine tumors, cancer, HIV and inducing labor.

An American woman, Leona Beneten challenged the FDA ban when the U.S Customs
seized the drug from her while returning from Europe in 1992; but the US Supreme
Court denied the FDA to overrule the ban and refused to listen to her case.
A second hearing
During his administration, President Clinton inferred and asked the FDA to re-examine
the ban; thus a new application for RU-486 was submitted. Clinical trials were then held
involving 2,100 women after the French company passed the patent rights for RU 486.
In 1996, the FDA officially approved RU-486 as an effective and safe early pregnancy
termination method along with the use of the second pill misoprostol to expel
pregnancy parts.
Further delay
Even though the FDA approved the pill in September 1996, they noted that further
experimentation and tests were required before its manufacturing and labeling
process. In February 1997, the European drug manufacturer cancelled its contract with
the U.S Population council further delaying its introduction in America.
Additionally, an amendment to a bill was passed that banned the FDA from holding
trials and approving any abortion medication in 1998. In the same year, the Clinton
administration opposed this bill and the ban was deleted.
In February 2000 the FDA postponed the approval of RU 486 until queries about its
manufacturing and distribution were solved. Finally, in the same year, it was approved
as a safe and efficient way of early pregnancy cancellation within 49 days and was
officially introduced in the U.S.
Since its acceptance, control over its access is incredibly eased. You can easily buy RU
486 online or at a local drug store with a doctors prescription, a stark difference
compared to the situation decade earlier.