Republican legislators, including two from Florida, claim an abortion pill has a "potential negative environmental impact" and are demanding a federal review of the medicine.
"Given the steadily increasing rate of at-home chemical abortions, it is vital that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ensure mifepristone, the drug's active metabolites in blood and placenta tissue, and the fetal remains of unborn children — all of which are unbelievably being flushed into America's wastewater system — do not pose a threat to the health and safety of humans and wildlife," writes Marco Rubio, in a letter co-signed by two other Senators and eight members of the House of Representatives, including fellow Floridian Rep. Gus Bilirakis.
The EPA has approved the drug for termination of pregnancy since 2000, and the current law established in 2016 says the method is legal through the 10th week of gestation. Conditions for approval rest on the agency's belief that "a thorough and comprehensive review of the scientific evidence" demonstrated "that it was safe and effective for its indicated use."
With 63% of abortions being chemical abortions last year, Rubio and his colleagues are concerned that since "chemical abortions are primarily self-induced and performed at home, the blood and placental tissue containing mifepristone's active metabolites are flushed into wastewater systems along with the fetal remains of the unborn child."
With those disposal methods in mind, the legislators urged the FDA to "study the impact of the 'byproducts' of mifepristone, such as the placental tissue, fetal remains, and active metabolites that are being flushed into our nation's wastewater system."
They seek a response from the agency by July 15.
No comments:
Post a Comment