In April, the FDA announced that, for the remaining duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, it would not be enforcing Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) regulations limiting mail distribution of abortion pills. While initially this change was advertised as temporary, many pro-lifers were suspicious; doubting whether the Biden administration would ever bring them back. Now, the FDA has proven their suspicions to be warranted.
REMS protocol requires abortion pills to be distributed in-person by a certified prescriber in a medical setting. By doing so, doctors can describe the process of the abortion pill regimen and perform an ultrasound to verify the unborn child's gestational age and check for pregnancy conditions. If the unborn child has passed a certain gestational age, or if a pregnant woman has a condition such as ectopic pregnancy, taking the abortion pill regimen can cause hemorrhaging and death.
Under REMS guidelines, abortion pill manufacturers are not required to report any adverse reactions except for death. If the protocol is removed, there will be even less data to track abortion pill complications. There are no federal laws that require abortion businesses to track complications.
