Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche pledged to prioritize efforts to end the distribution of abortion pills by mail during his Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday. The commitment followed intense questioning from Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.), who criticized current policies allowing telehealth prescriptions and mail-order delivery of mifepristone.
Sen. Britt argued that the current system poses risks to women, highlighting a specific case where a person allegedly administered the medication to a partner without consent. She pressed Blanche for a commitment to address these perceived dangers through Department of Justice intervention. “Can you commit to me today that this administration and DOJ will prioritize taking meaningful and thoughtful action to address the dangers that occurred in the current status quo?” Britt asked.
Blanche responded affirmatively, stating, “Absolutely, senator.” He further noted that the FDA is currently conducting new studies regarding the safety and appropriateness of the medication. Blanche expressed concern over reports of unregulated pills being shipped from overseas without proper instructions, adding, “I very much commit our resources to stopping this.”
Mifepristone was originally approved by the FDA in 2000. While the administration has faced pressure to roll back accessibility, the drug remains a focal point of ongoing legal and regulatory debates regarding reproductive healthcare access in the United States.