'Abortion pill' will make abortions safer

The review and approval of this drug is consistent with the Food and Drug Administration's mission as a science-based public health regulatory agency."

No, before any of you become excited, the FDA has not approved the use of marijuana for the public. The aforementioned quote by Vice-President Al Gore is discussing the approval of RU-486.

Better known as the abortion pill, RU-486 is a series of four pills that are taken by a female within 49 days of the beginning of her last menstrual cycle. The first three pills are taken on a woman's first visit to the doctor, and the last pill is taken two days later. Finally, a woman returns to her doctor two weeks later to insure the abortion is complete.

The approval of RU-486 (or Mifeprex) by the FDA is a progressive step on the road to complete women's rights. Since abortions are legal, RU-486 will provide another alternative to many women who are seeking abortions.

Opponents of abortions will be quick to point out that the use of RU-486 takes two weeks to be completed, but they will not tell a woman or her family that the pills are 92 to 95 percent effective. Also, anti-abortionists will quickly point out that RU-486 is an experimental drug that caused four women in the clinical trials to bleed enough to need a transfusion. However, RU-486 has been used for over 10 years now in France and is used by 40 percent of women in France who seek abortions. Also, according to the New York Times, complications arising from using RU-486 are rare and excessive bleeding only occurs in one percent of women.

We do not believe that Americans need to pattern their whole lives like the French. However, the use of RU-486 places a positive outlook on the safety for women who seek abortions. With the constant danger of anti-abortionists shooting or attempting to run over doctors and their patients, the privacy that RU-486 will provide will keep doctors from being targeted by Pro-lifers.

Safety is the main issue when abortion is being discussed. Whether it is the safety of the woman or the fetus, people constantly argue over safety. RU-486 provides safety for women. Although some people will think that the FDA's decision is another political move on the part of Democrats, anti-abortionists should heed Vice-President Gore's belief that the FDA's "decision is not about politics, but the health and safety of American women."