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On Tuesday, the Louisiana state House voted to categorise two frequently used abortion medications as controlled, dangerous substances, despite ample evidence of their safety and effectiveness. The medications, mifepristone and misoprostol, are already banned for abortion purposes in the state, where the procedure has been completely prohibited since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.
The recently passed legislation in the House proposes up to a five-year prison term for possessing the medications without a valid prescription, despite their application beyond abortion induction. The novel proposal, which was passed with a 64-29 vote, will now proceed to the Republican-dominated Senate and subsequently to Governor Jeff Landry for approval.
The Food and Drug Administration has previously approved these drugs and they are the most frequently used method of pregnancy termination. According to a report by the Guttmacher Institute in 2023, these medications contributed to 63% of all abortions in America, a 10% rise from 2020. Since its approval by FDA in 2000, mifepristone has been used more than five million times with less than 0.5% of users experiencing severe adverse reactions.
Democrats and critics argue against the bill, calling it outrageous and dangerous, and warn that further red states could potentially follow suit if Louisiana passes this legislation. The bill’s proponent, Republican Sen. Thomas Pressly justified his stance with an isolated incident where Pressly’s niece was poisoned by her former husband using misoprostol. However, critics argue that the drugs are not inherently addictive, a requirement for classification under the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law.
In addition, critics note that the drugs have multiple medical applications like treating ulcers and inducing labor, unrelated to abortion. The Supreme Court is currently deliberating a case that could drastically curtail access to mifepristone, with its ruling expected as early as June.
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