Battle Over The Abortion Pill

By Anastasia Toufexis

If maintaining a woman's right to have an abortion tops the agenda of pro- choice forces, then introducing RU 486, the so-called abortion pill, into the U.S. ranks second. So far the foes of abortion have managed to keep the French-made drug out of the country. But last week a delegation of American feminists and scientists met in Paris with executives of Roussel Uclaf, the French company that manufactures the drug, and in Frankfurt with officials * from Hoechst AG, Roussel's parent company. The Americans presented a petition signed by 115,000 people urging the distribution of RU 486 in the U.S. American support for the drug has also been growing rapidly among physicians. In June the American Medical Association passed a resolution supporting the "legal availability of RU 486 for appropriate research and, if indicated, clinical practice."

Judged simply on efficacy and safety, RU 486 marks a major advancement over other pregnancy-ending techniques. The drug, which is most effective if used within seven weeks of conception, prevents the hormone progesterone from being absorbed by the lining of the uterus. Without that nourishment the uterus cannot support the growth of the embedded fertilized egg, and the woman miscarries. Taken with prostaglandin, a naturally occurring substance that causes mild uterine contractions, the drug is 95% effective. Developed in 1982 by Dr. Etienne-Emile Baulieu, RU 486 has so far been used by an estimated 55,000 women in 15 countries.

France and China in 1988 formally approved use of the drug, and Roussel will shortly apply to market it in Britain. The company has refused to export it to any country unless several conditions are met, including the legality of abortion and its acceptance by public, political and medical opinion. According to Ariel Mouttet, head of international marketing for RU 486 at Roussel, the sticking point in the U.S. is the political climate. Says she: "We don't want to enter into a social debate in the U.S."

American advocates of RU 486 contend that the company is overestimating the opposition. A Louis Harris survey released last week found that 73% of American adults support abortion rights. Supporters believe that acceptance of RU 486 in other countries will lead women to push harder to bring it to the U.S. Doctors also warn that if the drug is not made officially available in the U.S., a black market for it will develop.

Determined pro-choicers say RU 486 could enter the U.S. through the back door. The drug has potential as a therapy for endometriosis and breast cancer. If RU 486 were approved to treat these conditions, doctors could also prescribe it for abortions. Roussel opposes any deception. Says Dr. Baulieu: "RU 486 has to be sold as the abortion pill that it is."

With reporting by Andrew Purvis/ New York and Alexandra Tuttle/Paris