Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Food and Drug Administration has the authority to approve drugs for abortion care.
The bill is a direct response to recent judicial actions that have sought to revoke or challenge the FDA's approval of mifepristone, a drug widely used for medication abortion, which conforms to over two decades of scientific research backing its safety and efficacy. By affirming the FDA’s authority, HR309 serves to safeguard access to mifepristone, which is a pivotal resource for reproductive health care over 5 million times since its approval. This resolution also aims to prevent any potential threats that judicial challenges could pose to other FDA-approved medications.
HR309 expresses the sense of the House of Representatives regarding the authority of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve drugs specifically for abortion care, emphasizing crucial reproductive health decisions. The resolution highlights the importance of FDA's expert, science-driven decisions about drug safety and efficacy. It specifically asserts that the judiciary should not independently assess FDA approvals, as these decisions are intended to be fully based on scientific data and regulatory frameworks established by Congress through the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA).
Notable contention arises from the ongoing legal battles concerning mifepristone. Many legislators and advocacy groups argue that the judicial interference into FDA's drug approval process undermines established regulatory practices that are designed to prioritize public health based on scientific research. Furthermore, the challenge to mifepristone is emblematic of broader conflicts over reproductive rights, where supporters of HR309 contend that any reversal of its approval could significantly impede women's access to abortion care and broader reproductive services.