Show-Me State Times

Today, during a Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) secured a commitment from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to review concerning new data on the chemical abortion drug mifepristone. Kennedy indicated that this data might necessitate changes to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) labeling of the drug to better reflect its adverse effects.

The study in question revealed that 11% of women using mifepristone experience adverse effects serious enough to require emergency room visits. Responding to these findings, Secretary Kennedy stated, "It's alarming, and it indicates that at the very least, the label should be changed." He has tasked Marty Makary at the FDA with conducting a comprehensive review and reporting back.

Senator Hawley pressed Kennedy on whether he still intended to conduct a thorough review of mifepristone. "Do you continue to stand by that," asked Hawley, "and don’t you think this new data shows that the need to do a full review is indeed pressing?"

In addition to reviewing mifepristone data, RFK Jr. committed to submitting his recommendations based on this information to President Trump. This exchange follows Senator Hawley's efforts advocating for reinstating safety measures surrounding mifepristone since the release of the new study. These efforts include introducing legislation and urging the Department of Justice to reconsider its defense of current policies on mifepristone.

Furthermore, during the hearing, Senator Hawley questioned Secretary Kennedy about tax breaks for Big Pharma's television deals. In response, Kennedy pledged support for Hawley's bipartisan bill aimed at curbing these financial arrangements.

Hawley shared this development on social media: "Now it's on the record: @SecKennedy just pledged his support to pass my bipartisan, bicameral bill cracking down on Big Pharma's sweetheart deals."

The full hearing is available for public viewing.