BY CARRIE N. BAKER | On Feb. 1, eight U.S. senators, led by Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) sent an open letter to Danco Laboratories, which makes the brand name mifepristone Mifeprex, urging them to submit an application to the FDA to add miscarriage management to the medication’s label. The letter was also signed by Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.).
“Currently, access to abortion has been restricted, or will likely be restricted, in 24 states. Not only do these laws take away the reproductive rights of women, but they also endanger the lives of people experiencing early-pregnancy miscarriage,” said the senators.
Because of legal concerns about mifepristone, they noted, healthcare providers are instead prescribing high doses of misoprostol to ensure effectiveness, resulting in severe cramping, “making it a longer, more dangerous and psychologically taxing process.”
“People experiencing miscarriage deserve access to safe and effective treatment, without added and unnecessary pain,” said the lawmakers. “Women in need of mifepristone for early-pregnancy miscarriages are experiencing barriers to effective and safe treatment because this drug is commonly used in medical abortions. Updating mifepristone’s label will make this drug accessible for miscarriage management without fear of criminal action against healthcare providers.”
The senators implored Danco to submit a request to the FDA to add miscarriage management as an indication to the mifepristone label.
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