Washington (H24N). The Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval (see related story) of the abortion drug RU-486 (mifepristone) has touched off a political firestorm involving presidential candidates, Congress and the White House.

On the campaign trail, Republican presidential nominee Texas Gov. George W. Bush denounced the FDA's decision.

"I think the FDA's decision to approve the abortion pill RU-486 is wrong," Bush declared. "People on both sides of the abortion issue can agree that we should do everything we can to reduce the number of abortions, and I fear that making this abortion pill widespread will make abortions more and more common, rather than more and more rare."

Bush went on to promise to "build a culture that respects life."

Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Al Gore, on the other hand, was happy with the decision and praised the department's diligence in testing the product.

"I am pleased with the Food and Drug Administration's decision," the vice president said in a news release. "After careful review and clinical tests, the Food and Drug Administration has determined that its use is safe and effective."

Trying to deflect criticism from Republicans on the Hill, Gore went on to say: "Today's [Thursday's] decision is not about politics, but the health and safety of American women and a woman's fundamental right to choose."

At the White House, the president also defended the FDA decision from attacks, before the start of a cabinet meeting Thursday.

"First of all, this administration treated that issue as purely one of science and medicine," Clinton told reporters. "The decision to be made under our law is whether the drug should be approved by the FDA on the grounds of safety. And I think they bent over backwards to do a lot of serious inquiries."

Conservative Republican and House Majority Leader Dick Armey also defended the FDA's decision and the president's reference to scientific justification. Armey characterized the administration's decision as purely political, a favor to the abortion industry.

"Just last June, the FDA proposed that this drug should be distributed only under a number of restrictions in order to protect women's health," Armey said. "Why has the Clinton-Gore administration today, after an intense lobbying campaign by the abortion industry, decided those restrictions are not necessary after all?"

Armey and his fellow conservatives on Capitol Hill promised to fight the drug's use on legislative battlegrounds, proposing a provision to the bill that funds the FDA, blocking federal money from being used to distribute the drug.

NEWS AND TRENDS | CAREER CENTER | EDUCATION
Home | Resources
Site Index | Contact Us | FAQs | Subscribe | Advertise