This week, Republican Rep. Nancy Mace (SC) came out against a Texas federal judge’s ruling that suspended the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of mifepristone, also known as the “abortion pill,” which Townhall covered.
In an interview with leftist media outlet CNN, Mace said that the FDA should ignore the ruling.
"This is an FDA-approved drug whether you agree with its usage or not," Mace said. "That's not your decision, that is the FDA's decision on the efficacy, safety, and usage of that particular drug."
Republican @NancyMace says she believes the FDA should ignore the Texas judge’s ruling. “This is an FDA approved drug. Whether you agree with its usage or not, that's not your decision. That is the FDA’s decision.” pic.twitter.com/wGJBunurcL
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) April 10, 2023
Trump-appointed federal Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk suspended the abortion pill, mifepristone, which is taken with misoprostol to carry out a medication abortion, which accounts for the majority of U.S. abortions, according to the Guttmacher Institute.
Several pro-life groups, lawmakers and the like came out against Mace’s stance, which was similar to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-NY) and other pro-abortion supporters.
“Rep. Mace’s recent comments in favor of the FDA and their mailing of abortion pills directly to girls, without in-person doctor visits, is wildly out of step with the American people,” E.V. Osment, vice president of communications for SBA Pro-Life America, said in a statement.
“Americans do not believe the FDA’s claims that mail-order abortion drugs are safe. 63% of Americans oppose mail-order abortion pills, and by a double-digit margin, Americans disagree that the abortion pill has been vetted carefully enough to protect women’s health. An overwhelming three quarters say the FDA should have studied the effects of the abortion pill on adolescent girls before approving it for minors. Rep. Mace is poorly informed on the law and history as well. She failed to mention the same federal law that stops abortion pills from being sent by mail was last updated and expanded in use by Congress under President Clinton. After looking at the politicized actions of the FDA, it’s clear the abortion pill should never have been approved much less expanded via the mail,” Osment continued.
As Townhall covered, a recent poll released by SBA Pro-Life America found that the majority of Americans felt that the pill was not safe. And, the majority of respondents said that they felt like the FDA was “untrustworthy.”
“The FDA is not beyond reproach, as we have seen time and again with other drugs from Vioxx to opioids. When elected leaders like Rep. Mace say they are pro-life, they should stand with the majority of Americans who have grave concerns about the FDA’s failure to safeguard life. It is time for the FDA to be held accountable for fast-tracking a dangerous drug that harms women and girls as well as ending the lives of countless unborn children. But they will never be held accountable if leaders like Mace encourage them to ignore the law and the science,” Osment concluded.
Texas Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Republican, said in an interview with CNN that “If the administration wants to not live up to this ruling, then we’re going to have a problem … it may come to a point where House Republicans on the appropriation side have to defund FDA programs that don’t make sense.”
Texas GOP @RepTonyGonzales tells CNN’s @DanaBashCNN that if the Biden administration ignores the judge’s ruling overturning abortion pill access, Congress might have to “defund FDA programs that don't make sense.” #CNNSOTU https://t.co/XRwmGYKCMY
— State of the Union (@CNNSotu) April 9, 2023
