Baptist Leaders Urge Trump to Halt Mail-Order Abortion Pill
Forty Baptist leaders from 22 states signed a letter urging President Donald Trump to stop mail-order distribution of the abortion drug mifepristone. This drug now accounts for more than 60 percent of all U.S. abortions, according to the Family Research Council, which coordinated the letter. Among the signers are Missouri’s Wesley Vance, Ph.D., and Timothy Faber, Ph.D.
The letter outlines how a federal policy carried over from the Biden administration continues to allow abortion drugs to be dispensed without an in-person consultation with a doctor or medical professional, placing the health and safety of women at serious risk. It also notes that these drugs are distributed by mail in violation of the Comstock Act, even into states that have enacted pro-life laws following the Dobbs decision. Despite these state laws, the continuation of this federal policy under the Trump administration is effectively nullifying the pro-life laws of these states.
“Enabled by the previous administration’s rollback of FDA safety protocols, this dangerous drug has caused serious adverse events in nearly 11 percent of users and poses grave risks to women — especially when dispensed without in-person screening or ultrasound evaluation,” the letter said.
Although the number of abortions briefly declined following the Dobbs decision, overall abortion rates since have increased, driven largely by the previous administration’s lax policies on mifepristone and the expansion of mail-order access, which remain in place. Shield laws in pro-abortion states now protect providers who illegally ship mifepristone into pro-life states, in direct violation of federal law and the spirit of Dobbs.
The letter asked the administration to restore and strengthen FDA safety protocols for mifepristone, including an ultrasound requirement; direct the FDA to reevaluate the drug’s approval; and instruct the U.S. Department of Justice to enforce the Comstock Act to protect states’ rights to uphold pro-life laws.
“Women, unborn children and the rule of law urgently need your leadership,” the letter concluded.
–Alan Goforth
