Hinds Today

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), chair of the Senate Pro-Life Caucus, issued a statement following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, which challenged FDA deregulation of chemical abortion drugs. The court ruled that the plaintiffs lacked legal grounds to file the case but did not rule on its merits or substance.

"The Supreme Court’s decision does not mark the end of our fight to protect women and girls from the lawless and reckless actions of the FDA in lifting basic safety regulation of these dangerous chemical abortion drugs," Hyde-Smith stated. "We know these drugs pose serious risks. The FDA’s own label warns that roughly one in 25 women who take mifepristone will need emergency medical care."

Hyde-Smith emphasized the responsibility of doctors: "Doctors have a duty to stand up for their patients when the government creates a more dangerous landscape by removing the most basic safety regulations. I am glad the court at least recognized the conscience rights of physicians and affirmed that federal law protects doctors from being forced to participate in abortions."

She reaffirmed her commitment: "Like other pro-life advocates across the nation, I will continue to fight for the health of women and their unborn children."

Hyde-Smith, along with U.S. Representative August Pfluger (R-Texas-11), led a friend-of-the-court brief arguing that the FDA violated federal law in 2016 and 2021 by deregulating mifepristone (in combination with misoprostol) to broaden access to chemical abortion drugs.

In May, Hyde-Smith continued her efforts against what she considers lax FDA standards permitting access to chemical abortion drugs without physician consultation, including stockpiling abortion pills through advance prescribing.