Precisely when human life begins is above our pay grade, but at a time when states are radically restricting women’s right to seek reproductive health care — and forcing rape and incest victims, among others, to give birth — policymakers in Washington ought to be wisely using the levers of federal laws and regulations to safeguard those same freedoms. That renders it a no-brainer that the Food and Drug Administration finalized a rule change making abortion pills more broadly available.
First, an important terminological distinction: These are not so-called morning-after or emergency contraception pills like Plan B. As the FDA has recently made clear, they prevent pregnancy by disrupting ovulation; they do not prevent fertilized eggs from implanting in the womb. Instead, we are referring here to mifepristone, a prescription substance that was approved by regulators in 2000 but made available on only a limited basis. In combination with a drug called misoprostol, it can safely end a pregnancy through 10 weeks.
Late last year, the FDA removed the in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone and let it be dispensed not only by clinicians but by certified pharmacies. Last Tuesday, the regulators followed through and finalized a rule ensuring that many large pharmacies will be able to dispense it, provided they are properly trained to provide emergency care in the case of excessive bleeding.
