Last week, a federal judge in Texas issued a ruling that would block access to the most commonly used abortion drug, mifepristone. The Justice Department is asking for an emergency stay of that ruling; if they can't get the stay, the drug will be pulled off the shelves by Friday.
The drug is used to administer abortions for people who are less than 11 weeks pregnant, and is typically used in conjunction with a second medication called misoprostol. Over half of all people seeking abortion use medication to do so.
Dr. Colleen McNicholas, the chief medical officer for Planned Parenthood in the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri, tells KMOX that while there are some shocking things about the decision, it didn't surprise her.
"Really the things that are most shocking is just how much it shows that ideology has really sort of been overtaken in our courts," Dr. McNicholas said. "You know, this decision is completely unscientific, and really has taken what is — and should be — a thorough process that the FDA goes through, a stringent approval process, and may have made it completely political."
In addition to the drug being used for abortions, Dr. McNicholas said, it's also used for management of miscarriages. She adds that there's plenty of evidence showing that it's a safe drug for people to use, and is only associated with minimal side effects like nausea.
"The truth is we have more than 20 years worth of data to say that it is incredibly safe," she said. "And in fact, the safety profile from mifepristone, the data suggests that it is even more safe than some of our routine over the counter medications, things like Tylenol, for example."
The biggest risk of the drug not being available, she said, is taking away choices from people seeking abortion or miscarriage care. A medication abortion can be performed without mifepristone — just using misoprostol — but there are worse side effects. Or, she said, people will have to choose a procedural abortion, or a dilation and curettage.
"And because this will likely eliminate additional providers in the market, we are going to be pushing folks to further and further gestation as they are looking for access to care from the limited providers that remain across this country," she added.
Hear more from Planned Parenthood STL SWMO Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Colleen McNicholas:
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