General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Pennsylvania Mother Who Gave Daughter Abortion Pill Gets Prison - Reuters/HuffPo [View all]Avalux
(35,015 posts)Regulations governing the approval and sale of drugs in the US and EU are virtually the same, the US is stricter. The ONLY drug regimen approved to induce medical abortion in at least 35 countries is a Mifepristone/Misopristol. In these countries, a prescription and physician oversight is required by law.
Mifepristone is a synthetic steroid that blocks progesterone thereby altering the lining of the uterus and inducing miscarriage in women < 9 weeks pregnant. After 9 weeks, there is a chance that not all components of the pregnancy will be expelled and there may be severe complications. By itself the drug is about 60% effective, so another drug, Misopristol, a prostoglandin analog, is given with it to soften the cervix and make the uterus contract. Both drugs together are 95% effective.
There are reasons why these drugs are prescription only, and that in both Europe and the US, they are given under the care of a physican, requiring follow-up after the procedure to ensure that it was successful.
You can say all you want about this subject, but please first do some research and understand it.