(WXYZ) — A battle over access to an FDA approved abortion pill wages on after a ruling by a federal court judge seeking to take it off shelves. The judge has called into question its safety and whether or not sales can continue in the U.S.
The ruling on Friday in Texas, issued a hold on the drug mifepristone overruling decades of scientific approval. The drug is currently the nation’s most common method of abortion. The ruling doesn’t take effect immediately, instead awaiting an FDA review.
Simultaneously, there has been an opposite ruling by another federal judge in Washington, setting the matter on a path for the Supreme Court.
We spoke with two local county prosecutors to get their response to what’s been happening.
“I would never prosecute medical professionals or women for obtaining a safe and legal abortion,” says Karen McDonald, the Oakland County Prosecutor.
The drug which has been approved by the FDA since 2000, is the focus of many who have argued its safety.
McDonald adds, “Now, we have a judge that’s standing in the place of the whole agency. There is confusion and frustration that the drug they have been prescribing and using is somehow being tainted as unsafe when in fact it is.”
Macomb County Prosecutor Pete Lucido is also speaking out. He’s tracking what’s happening and also mindful of how the drug is delivered.
“Right now they are mailing this in the mail. If in fact the judge’s order went into effect, that would be a violation of the law to put this in the mail, and mail it across state lines or mail it anywhere. Doctors who prescribe it could be at risk,” says Lucido.
For now, the drug remains available in Michigan and other states.
“It is a court order at this point that has now been suspended for a time being and also being appealed. Why did we wait over 20 years? What was the purpose of waiting 20 years? People are taking this drug and those individuals could be in peril but apparently we haven’t seen any residual effect and therefore it looks suspect,” says Lucido.
