Protecting Life from Chemical Abortions Act
Protecting Life from Chemical Abortions Act
Plain Language Summary
# Protecting Life from Chemical Abortions Act - Summary **What the Bill Would Do:** This bill would reverse FDA rule changes that now allow mifepristone (the medication abortion pill) to be mailed to patients by pharmacies. Currently, the drug can be dispensed by mail during the COVID-19 emergency period. The bill would restore the previous requirement that mifepristone must be picked up in person at a clinic, medical office, or hospital.
Mifepristone is used to end pregnancies up to 10 weeks gestation when combined with another medication. **Who It Affects and Key Details:** This legislation would primarily affect people seeking medication abortion and the pharmacies and medical facilities that provide it. Supporters argue it's a safety measure, while opponents contend the mail-dispensing option is equally safe and improves access, particularly for people in rural or underserved areas. The bill would essentially undo pandemic-era FDA flexibility and restore stricter in-person requirements. **Current Status:** The bill is currently in committee and has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives.
CRS Official Summary
Protecting Life from Chemical Abortions ActThis bill nullifies certain changes made by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to dispensing requirements for mifepristone. (Mifepristone is a drug that is approved to end pregnancies through 10 weeks gestation when used in conjunction with the drug misoprostol. The procedure is often referred to as medication abortion or the abortion pill.)The FDA regulates mifepristone through the Mifepristone Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) program. The program requires health care providers to comply with certain requirements in order to prescribe or dispense mifepristone to end a pregnancy; the program previously included an in-person dispensing requirement that required mifepristone to be directly dispensed to patients in clinics, medical offices, or hospitals. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, the FDA stopped enforcing the in-person dispensing requirement, which allowed mail-order pharmacies to fill and dispense mifepristone prescriptions.In January 2023, the FDA modified program requirements so as to (1) remove the in-person dispensing requirement, and (2) require pharmacies to be program-certified in order to dispense mifepristone. The modifications allow certified retail pharmacies to dispense mifepristone pursuant to prescriptions that are written by certified prescribers.The bill nullifies the January 2023 changes and prohibits the FDA from (1) exercising any enforcement discretion with respect to program requirements, or (2) reducing program protections until every state submits certain data regarding abortions to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The bill also generally prohibits the declaration of a public health emergency with respect to abortions.
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.