The Restoration of America Foundation has called on the Senate Finance Committee to question HHS Secretary RFK Jr. regarding the removal of safety protocols for mifepristone, citing risks to women’s health and increased taxpayer burden. The Foundation argues that allowing the abortion pill to be prescribed via telehealth and delivered through the mail could endanger women by reducing access to proper medical screening and increasing complications. ROAF points to recent studies and media reports, including a New York Post investigation, which found that nearly 11 percent of chemical abortions resulted in serious complications. The hearing where Kennedy is scheduled to appear is expected to spotlight broader debates over abortion and medical safety under the Trump administration.
During a Thursday hearing, the Senate Finance Committee will examine the safety and oversight of abortion medications, with a particular focus on the changes implemented under the Biden administration. This includes the removal of requirements for in-person dispensing of the abortion pill and the permitting of telehealth prescribing and mail delivery. The Foundation argues that these changes have increased the risks associated with the procedure.
Mifepristone, also known as the abortion pill, was previously required to be dispensed in person to ensure that women were screened for potential complications such as ectopic pregnancy. The Biden administration’s decision to allow telehealth prescribing and mail delivery has raised concerns among pro-life advocates. They argue that this shift has left women more vulnerable and increased the burden on taxpayers by potentially causing more complications and hospitalizations.
The Foundation’s founder, Doug Truax, has emphasized the importance of ensuring that women have access to proper medical screening and immediate access to emergency care if needed. He has called for a review of the current safety protocols and for their reinstatement to protect women’s health. The hearing is expected to be a pivotal moment in the ongoing debates surrounding abortion and medical safety in the United States.