In a recent private meeting with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO) expressed his hope for a return to the in-person dispensing requirements for the abortion pill, mifepristone.
Hawley, a staunch pro-life advocate, reported that Kennedy was receptive to the idea, indicating a willingness to support the president's pro-life agenda.
According to The Post Millennial, Hawley voiced his concerns about the ease with which abortion pills can be obtained in bulk and "mailed anywhere," describing it as a "huge problem." Kennedy, a former independent presidential candidate who has since thrown his support behind Trump, acknowledged these concerns. "He said that he would follow President Trumps direction on this, Hawley told reporters. I certainly hope that means that they will return mifepristone to the earlier rules and allow the voters to decide on the issue.
The mifepristone abortion pill was initially only available through in-person doctor visits. However, this rule was relaxed and eventually removed during the Covid pandemic by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which later announced that the in-person rule would not be reinstated post-pandemic. The Supreme Court of the United States' decision to allow states to determine the legality of abortion has further facilitated access to the abortion pill, with some pharmacy chains now offering it.
The dispensing of the abortion pill via mail is currently at the center of a lawsuit from Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Paxton is suing a New York doctor for prescribing the abortion pill to a Texas woman and mailing it to her. This could potentially be the first instance of a pro-life state, where the abortion pill is illegal, challenging a pro-choice state over the right of doctors to prescribe and mail the pill outside of their state.
Despite his openness to restrictions on the abortion pill, Kennedy has expressed support for the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion. However, he has also stated that "every abortion is a tragedy" and that reducing the number of abortions should be a national goal.
During his rounds on Capitol Hill, Kennedy also met with Sen. James Lankford (R-OK). Lankford offered his assessment of Kennedys abortion views, stating that the nominee was pretty clear that the first Trump administration HHS was a pro-life entity, and it will be again."
In an April interview, Kennedy expressed his concern about the abortion pill, equating it to his worry about "every pharmaceutical drug." While he stated he had no intention of overturning the FDAs decision regarding pharmacies dispensing the pill, he did express concern about the drugs potential side effects. This nuanced stance reflects the complexity of the abortion debate, even within conservative circles, and underscores the need for thoughtful, informed discussions on the matter.
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