Supervisors Back Move to Import Abortion Pill
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, after an emotional debate pitting opponents of abortion against abortion-rights activists, endorsed congressional legislation on Tuesday that would allow importation of the French abortion pill RU-486. The motion, which passed on a 4-1 vote, was introduced by Supervisor Gloria Molina.
Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who cast the dissenting vote, said, “What we are talking about here is a steroid” and noted that a number of athletes have been seriously harmed by steroids.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has barred the importation of RU-486 since 1986. The drug, intended to induce abortion in the first seven weeks of pregnancy, has been available in France since 1988, where it has been used by nearly 100,000 women.
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