>>21959389
>>21959389
Judicial Watch Sues FDA on Behalf of Advancing American Freedom Foundation for Records on Abortion Pill Mifepristone
| October 03, 2024
Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today it filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit on behalf of Advancing American Freedom Foundation against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for FDA records concerning approval of the abortion drug Mifeprex (Mifepristone, formerly known as RU-486) and meetings between senior FDA officials, White House counsel, and foreign actors (Advancing American Freedom Foundation v. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (No. 1:24-cv-02803)).
Advancing American Freedom Foundation develops innovative policy solutions, strategies, coalitions, and messaging that expand freedom for all Americans.
The lawsuit was filed after HHS and the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), which is a component of HHS, failed to respond to identical May 31, 2024, FOIA requests. Among the requested records are:
Communications between the FDA and the House Committee on Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations (“Subcommittee”) concerning letters from the Subcommittee dated June 27, 1996; July 1, 1996; and September 17, 1996.
All records requested in the September 17, 1996, letter from Subcommittee Chairman Joe Barton to FDA Commissioner David A. Kessler.
All records of communications: between any FDA personnel and the Office of White House Counsel between November 1, 1992, and January 31, 2001, regarding the approval of “mifepristone” (which includes, but is not limited to, such terms as Mifeprex, Mifegyne, Korlym, abortion pill, RU-486, RU-38486, ZK-98296, and/or the mifepristone … including communications with Associate White House Counsel Elena Kagan.
All records of communications between any FDA personnel and any person or entity between November 1, 1992, and January 31, 2001, regarding FDA Commissioner David Kessler’s overseas trip or trips to meet with individuals from Roussel Uclaf on an unknown date, but on information or belief took place in April or May 1994…. including communications mentioning the Population Council (“PC”).
Any other records which, though not specifically requested, would have a reasonable relationship to the subject matter of this request, including any record or document.
In response to pressure from pro-abortion activists, the Clinton Food and Drug Administration accelerated approval of the abortion pill in September 2000. (Similarly, the Obama and Biden administrations took steps to make the controversial abortion pill more widely available in a way that undermined its “safe” use.)
“The FDA has repeatedly refused to acknowledge its role in approving the dangerous abortion drug, mifepristone and has refused to disclose communications regarding its approval,” said AAF General Counsel J. Marc Wheat. “Advancing American Freedom Foundation has worked tirelessly to disclose the truth behind the FDA’s negligence and to bring justice for the women hurt or killed by this drug. The American people deserve to know the facts of how the FDA shirked protocols in order to expand abortions, even at the cost of the health of the women using the drug. We are grateful to Judicial Watch for picking up AAF’s case.”
https://www.judicialwatch.org/abortion-pill-mifepristone/