Biden Administration Prepares to Defend FDA Approval of Abortion Drug Despite Federal Judge’s Ruling

The Biden administration has responded to a recent ruling from a federal judge in Texas that suspended the approval of a medication drug used for abortion. In a series of tweets, Kamara Jones, spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services, stated that the agency is prepared to continue defending the 22-year-old approval through the legal process.

Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican congresswoman who represents a swing district in South Carolina, urged the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday to ignore the ruling. In an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on “This Morning,” Mace said, “It’s not up to us to decide as legislators or even, you know, as the court system that whether or not this is the right drug to use or not. I support the usage of FDA-approved drugs, even if we might disagree.”

The FDA approved the drug mifepristone in 2000, and it has been used for abortions since then. The drug works by blocking the hormone progesterone, which is necessary for a pregnancy to continue. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk halted the FDA’s approval of the drug in response to a lawsuit filed by the state of Texas.

The Biden administration has not yet indicated whether it will appeal the ruling, but Jones stated that the agency is prepared to continue defending the approval through the legal process. The decision has been met with criticism from both sides of the aisle, with some congressional Democrats suggesting that the administration should ignore the ruling. However, Jones said doing so would set a “dangerous precedent.”

The FDA has not yet commented on the ruling or the administration’s response. It remains to be seen how the agency will proceed in light of the decision.