FDA Approves New Generic Version of Abortion Pill, Sparks Conservative Backlash

Washington │ The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved another low-cost generic version of the abortion pill mifepristone, triggering immediate criticism from anti-abortion groups and Republican lawmakers.

Drugmaker Evita Solutions announced that the FDA cleared its version of the pill, which can be used to end pregnancies through 10 weeks. The company said the medication will be available starting January next year, adding that its goal is to make abortion care “safe, affordable, and accessible.”

The approval drew sharp pushback from abortion opponents. Students for Life Action called it “a stain on the Trump presidency,” while Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri declared he had “lost confidence” in FDA leadership.

In response, the FDA stressed that its role in generic approvals is limited, noting that the agency “does not endorse any product” but follows a regulatory process.

Mifepristone was first approved in 2000, and access was later expanded, including online prescribing and mail delivery under President Joe Biden in 2021. The pill is usually taken with another drug, misoprostol, a combination that accounts for nearly two-thirds of all U.S. abortions.

Despite the approval, access to the drug remains restricted in many states where abortion — including medication abortion — is banned or heavily regulated. Those restrictions continue to face multiple legal challenges.

Major medical organizations, including the American Medical Association, oppose restrictions on mifepristone, citing decades of evidence that the drug is safe and effective.