LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced on Wednesday that she’s “celebrating” the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) move which makes medication abortion available at pharmacies with a prescription.

In a press release, Gov. Whitmer said that the FDA’s decision cuts “red tape that prevents women from accessing reproductive health care.”

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Under the regulatory change, pharmacies that become certified may dispense mifepristone directly to patients. It is used with another drug in first-trimester abortions. Previously, mifepristone could only be dispensed by clinics, medical offices, and hospitals or under the supervision of a certified health provider.

According to a statement from Danco Laboratories, the maker of Mifepristone (Mifeprex) “was approved for the termination of early pregnancy by FDA on September 28, 2000. In the last 20+ years it has been used by more than 4 million women in the United States. Mifeprex® is 97% effective in terminating early pregnancy, approximately 3% of women will require surgical intervention for ongoing pregnancy, heavy bleeding, incomplete expulsion or other reasons such as patient request.”

As expected, pro-life groups are not happy with this decision. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, said “Chemical abortion pills can cause dangerous complications including hemorrhage and infection, and complications are more likely when pills are dispensed without medical screening or follow-up care.”

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The group went on to say “Chemical abortion, sometimes called “the abortion pill” (RU-486, mifepristone or Mifeprex), is a two-drug regimen taken up to 70 days (10 weeks) or even later into pregnancy and causes the death of the unborn child. The first drug blocks the natural hormone progesterone, starving the developing baby of hormonal support, while the second drug induces labor to expel the baby from the womb.”