Etienne-Emile Baulieu (1991) defines RU 486 as “…a chemical compound that, taken in pill form, can induce abortion in women up to nine weeks pregnant. This compound gets the first part of its name from French company, Roussel Uclaf, which first developed the abortion pill back in 1980. The “486” designation is the shortened version of the original “38486” compound number that the pill was assigned in the Roussel Uclaf laboratory.”

According to Daniel S. Levy (2000), mifepristone originated in France in 1980. In 1982, the Roussel Uclaf laboratory reported its first successful human testing of RU 486. In 1983, the population council received FDA approval to test RU 486 in the United States for six years, during which 300 women received the drug at the University of Southern California. The French Health Ministry went on to approve RU 486, combined with prostaglandin, in 1988, to use for medical abortion. (Gibbs 2000) The drug

In most cases, women who use the drug, RU 486, have an unwanted pregnancy as a result of either unprotected sex, or their method of prevention failed. There are three required doctors’ visits when using RU 486 to abort an unwanted or unplanned fetus.

Anti-abortionists call the drug “immoral and unsafe”, and “vowed to try to dissuade doctors from dispensing the drug and discourage women from taking it.” (Lisa Richwine Reuters) Antiabortion groups have also threatened to boycott any large chains (i.e. Wal Mart, Kmart) if they were to fill prescriptions containing the RU 486 drug. (Patricia Miller 1999)

On the other hand, Pro-choice advocates hail the acceptance of the pill by the FDA stating “…its debut will make abortion more accessible and more private for U.S. women.” (Richwine Reuters) Vice President Al Gore was quoted as saying, “Today’s decision is not about politics but the health and safety of American women and a woman’s fundamental right to choose.”

Although RU 486 has been used for abortion, scientists believe that the drug may be helpful in treating endometriosis, fibroids, breast cancer, and certain non-malignant brain tumors called meningomas. (Regina Sitruck-Ware 1999) The drug is also being tested for its effectiveness to treat ovarian cancer, brain tumors and depression. (Chris Gearon, Reuters Health)

Mifepristone has only one use for our society today, and that is to abort a fetus.

Some topics in this essay:
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