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Pro-Life Group Reports Surge in Abortions Linked to Biden-Era FDA Policy
A new report from the Restoration of America Foundation (ROAF) claims that abortions have risen significantly nationwide since 2020, attributing the increase to a policy change made under the Biden administration that allows abortion pills to be prescribed via telehealth and shipped by mail.
The report, obtained exclusively by Fox News Digital, estimates that more than 500 mail-order chemical abortions occur daily in the United States, citing data from Guttmacher and WeCount. Chemical abortions now represent 63% of all abortions in 2023, a substantial increase from 39% in 2017.
“Since hitting a low in 2017, the national abortion rate has seen a persistent and troubling climb,” the report states. ROAF estimates approximately 170,000 additional abortions in 2024 compared to what would have occurred if abortion rates had remained at 2019 levels.
The analysis indicates abortions rose from approximately 916,460 in 2019 to an estimated 1.1 million in 2024, representing a 22% increase during a period when the U.S. population grew by just 2.9%. According to the report’s findings, abortion-by-mail now accounts for roughly one in four abortions in the United States.
WeCount data cited in the report estimates 244,590 do-it-yourself abortions were facilitated by telehealth in 2024, including more than 120,000 pills sent to states where abortion is restricted or banned following the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
The Biden administration policy removed a 20-year safety standard that required women to see a doctor in person to be prescribed mifepristone, one of the medications used in chemical abortions. ROAF argues the FDA justified this change using limited studies and inadequate adverse-event data.
“People are calling up and saying whatever they need to say to get the drug in the mail,” ROAF CEO Doug Truax told Fox News Digital. “The point that we’re making is that abortions are on the rise dramatically; 874,000 in 2023, up to 1.1 million in 2024. Then on this trajectory, by the time President Trump leaves office, it’d be about 1.4 million a year.”
Truax expressed concerns about women’s health, claiming, “There’s about 150 women a day that are being seriously harmed by this drug. So we need to get them to go see the doctor.” He cited risks including complications from undiagnosed ectopic pregnancies, sepsis, and hemorrhaging.
The report also highlights how states with abortion restrictions are affected. “For instance, Texas, they don’t have abortion anymore, but they sure do,” Truax said. “People think it’s down to zero. It’s not at all. It’s about where it was.”
He noted that organizations in states like Massachusetts and California are mailing abortion drugs to women in states with abortion restrictions, aided by “shield laws” that prevent legal action against providers from other states.
The FDA’s policy was challenged legally during the previous administration, but the Supreme Court allowed it to remain in effect after ruling that the plaintiffs lacked standing. However, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals had previously ruled that the FDA’s action under Biden was likely “arbitrary and capricious” under the Administrative Procedure Act.
ROAF contends that the Trump administration has the authority to reverse the policy and urges swift action. “I think that from a political standpoint, they’d rather not talk about it. But our point is, from a political standpoint, it’s going to start hurting,” Truax said.
The pressure on the administration to act is mounting. Last summer, more than 20 Republican attorneys general called on Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary to complete a safety review of mifepristone and consider reinstating safeguards or removing the drug from the market. Kennedy and Makary promised a new review but have not announced a timeline.
“President Trump, Secretary Kennedy, and Commissioner Makary already have the tools at their disposal to reverse the legally and scientifically dubious decisions of the Biden Administration’s FDA and to reinstate the in-person dispensing requirement,” the ROAF report concludes.
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6 Comments
This is a complex and sensitive issue. While the pro-life group’s claims are concerning, I’d want to see more data and analysis before drawing any firm conclusions. Abortion access and policy is a highly polarized topic, so it’s important to examine the evidence carefully and objectively.
The statistics cited in the report are quite stark, if accurate. However, the political framing of the article raises questions about potential bias. I’d be interested to see an analysis from a less partisan source to get a clearer sense of the trends and their drivers.
The reported rise in mail-order abortions is certainly notable, but the reasons behind it are likely multifaceted. Policy changes, access to services, and societal trends all likely play a role. A thoughtful, nuanced discussion is needed to understand the full picture.
I agree, this is a complex issue that deserves careful analysis from multiple perspectives. It’s important to avoid rushing to judgement and instead focus on understanding the various factors at play.
While the pro-life group’s claims are provocative, I think it’s prudent to approach this issue with nuance and objectivity. Abortion access is a highly charged topic, and simplistic narratives often fail to capture the full complexity. I’d encourage looking at data from a range of sources.
The potential impact of policy changes on abortion rates is an important issue to understand. However, the framing of this article seems quite ideological. I’d want to see a more balanced, fact-based analysis before drawing any firm conclusions.