Big pharma signs letter opposing judge pausing sale of abortion pill

By TOM GANTERT THE CENTER SQUARE

(The Center Square) - More than 300 biotech and pharmaceutical CEOs and executives have signed an open letter Monday calling for the reversal of a Texas judge’s ruling that issued a national injunction on the abortion pill mifepristone.

The letter, signed by Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla and Biogen President Alisha Alaimo, called the ruling “judicial activism.”

“Judicial activism will not stop here,” the letter read. “If courts can overturn drug approvals without regard for science or evidence, or for the complexity required to fully vet the safety and efficacy of new drugs, any medicine is at risk for the same outcome as mifepristone. ... This decision ignores decades of scientific evidence and legal precedent.”

U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk released his ruling on April 7 that suspended the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of the drug and stopped sales while a court case is heard in a Texas courtroom.

Planned Parenthood stated that the FDA approved the drug nearly 20 years ago. Planned Parenthood said the drug has a safety record of over 99%.

The National Right to Life said that the Kacsmaryk ruling would save lives.

The Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine sued the FDA in 2002, two years after the FDA approved chemical abortion.

National Right to Life pointed to the judge’s ruling that the case against the drug had been purposely dragged out by the FDA.

The judge’s ruling claims the U.S. Food & Drug Administration stonewalled judicial review for more than 16 years.

“Why did it take two decades for judicial review in federal court?” the judge’s ruling asked. “Simply put, FDA stonewalled judicial reviewuntil now.”

The judge’s ruling stated that the FDA waited 4,971 days to act on the plaintiff’s first petition and then 994 days to act on the second petition.

“Had FDA responded to Plaintiff’s petitions with the 360 total days allotted, this case would have been in federal court decades earlier,” the ruling stated. “Instead, FDA postponed and procrastinated for nearly 6,000 days.”

Kotek, Lujan

that right. My administration will be working with the Oregon Health Authority, Oregon Department of Justice, and the Biden Administration to evaluate the ruling and fight for patients across Oregon and the United States.”

And Gov. Lujan Grisham voiced her support for mifepristone while touting her support for legal abortion during her tenure as governor.

“First and foremost: medication abortion remains legal and available in New Mexico. I also want to state unequivocally that medication abortion is an effective, safe option, and the Texas decision is an affront to the FDA approval process and the extensive scientific and medical evidence upon which it is based.

“I will continue to do all that I can to ensure that New Mexico remains a safe place for women to obtain necessary health care, and I was proud to sign legislation in recent weeks to protect the rights of abortion patients and providers.”

The comments come following a ruling by U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryke last Friday that stayed the United States Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone. Its primary use is for chemical abortions, now the most common form of abortion in the United States.

His decision last Friday gave the U.S. Department of Justice seven days to appeal his decision, which it will.

Five dead in Louisville shooting, including friend of Beshear

By STEVE BITTENBENDER THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) – Five people are dead and nine people, including two law enforcement officers, suffered injuries after a shooting in a downtown Louisville building Monday morning. One officer was injured critically, as was another person, Louisville Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey told reporters. The shooter, a 23-year-old bank employee, was among the dead after being killed by police.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg were both visibly shaken as they spoke to reporters. Greenberg survived a shooting attempt at his campaign office a little more than a year ago as he was running for election.

The incident occurred shortly after 8:30 a.m. Eastern time at the Old National Bank branch within the Preston Pointe building on East Main Street. Chief Humphrey said at least two officers encountered the shooter and exchanged shots. He described the officers’ actions as heroic.

“It is clear from the officers’ response that they absolutely saved people’s lives,” he said.

The incident is the latest mass shooting in the country and happened two weeks after seven were killed in a shooting at a Christian school in Nashville, Tenn.

At 8:53 am, the Louisville Metro Police Department tweeted an alert urging people to stay away from the area, and officials confirmed there were multiple casualties 34 minutes later. Moments before, an individual located a block away from the shooting posted two short videos from the scene on the social media site. Gunshots could be heard in both, and one also showed what appeared to be a police officer running toward cars on East Main Street, a busy downtown corridor, telling people to get out of their vehicles because of an active shooter.

Metro Police Interim Chief Jacquelyn GwinnVillaroel identified the victims as Tommy Elliott, 63; Jim Tutt, 64; Josh Barrett, 40; and Juliana Farmer, 57. Police said they were shot by Conner Sturgeon, 23, who was employed by the bank.

Mr. Sturgeon was shot and killed by police, Chief Gwinn-Villaroel told reporters Monday afternoon.

Mr. Elliott had served as the chairman of Kentucky Retirement Systems under Gov. Beshear, the father of the current governor. When Andy Beshear won the 2019 election, Mr. Elliott served as the chairman for his inauguration committee. The officer critically injured was Nicholas Wilt, 26, who was shot in the head. Mr. Gwinn-Villaroel said he graduated from the LMPD Academy less than two weeks ago.