Michigan’s Republican congressional delegation is urging federal health officials to reinstate in-person dispensing requirements for mifepristone, the first of two medications used in medication abortion. The lawmakers argue that mail-order access increases medical risks and facilitates the circumvention of state abortion laws.
In a letter sent to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., all seven Republican U.S. House members from Michigan joined more than 150 congressional signatories calling for a federal review of the drug’s safety profile.
The group also requested an end to mail distribution, which has been permitted since the Food and Drug Administration relaxed in-person requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The lawmakers cite emergency-room visits and what they describe as inadequate medical oversight as key concerns. They contend that shipping mifepristone across state lines allows access in states with abortion restrictions and undermines state regulatory authority.
Reproductive-health advocates strongly rejected the claims. Planned Parenthood said mifepristone has been used safely for more than 20 years by more than 2 million patients nationwide. The organization called the lawmakers’ request a political effort to limit abortion access despite Michigan voters’ support for constitutional reproductive-rights protections.
Planned Parenthood added that blocking mail distribution would reduce access for thousands of Michigan residents, requiring long-distance travel and potentially delaying needed care.
Rep. Tim Walberg, one of the letter’s signatories, said mifepristone poses “serious risk to the health of women” and argued that reinstating in-person dispensing rules would restore necessary safeguards.
The congressional request comes shortly after the FDA approved a second generic version of mifepristone, a decision that drew criticism from anti-abortion groups.
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