Restoring Safeguards for Dangerous Abortion Drugs Act

This bill would restore older, stricter federal safety rules for the abortion drug mifepristone. Within 90 days, the health department must pull back the current safety program and put back the one used in June 2011, and it could not later approve a different one for this drug . It would also change the law to prohibit importing mifepristone into the United States, including by mail .

The bill would let people sue telehealth providers, pharmacies, or others who illegally ship or transport mifepristone if the person suffers physical or mental harm after using it. They could seek money for damages, including punitive damages, and attorney’s fees. This lawsuit option would start 90 days after the bill becomes law and would not block any extra remedies offered by state law . The bill defines the covered drug as mifepristone (also known as Mifeprex or Korlym, and RU‑486) .

• Key points:
  • Who is affected: Patients who use mifepristone; healthcare providers (including telehealth); pharmacies; shippers/importers; the federal health department/FDA .
  • What changes: Reinstates the June 2011 safety program for mifepristone and blocks changes to it; bans importing the drug (including by mail); creates a federal right to sue certain entities for harm tied to illegally shipped mifepristone with possible punitive damages and attorney’s fees .
  • When: The safety program must be reinstated within 90 days of enactment; the new lawsuit option begins 90 days after enactment; the import ban is established by amending existing law .