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Many Americans wonder whether the pill used in most U.S. abortions will be restricted under the new Republican administration in Washington. President Donald Trumps pick to lead the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Marty Makary, was confirmed by the Senate late Tuesday. In recent testimony before the Senate health committee, Makary wouldnt commit to specific action on the pill, called mifepristone, despite prodding from both Republicans and Democrats. Medical professionals call it among the safest medications ever approved by the FDA. But a Christian conservative group that sued the FDA over the drug says it has caused tens of thousands of emergency complications.” Heres what to know about the safety of mifepristone, which is typically used with misoprostol in medication abortions that make up close to two-thirds of abortions in the U.S. What are the safety limits on use of the abortion pill? The FDA approved mifepristone in 2000 as a safe and effective way to end early pregnancies. Currently, there are no in-person requirements and the pill can be sent through the mail. That’s not how the FDA first treated mifepristone, which on rare occasions can cause dangerous, excessive bleeding that requires emergency care. Strict safety limits were placed on who could prescribe and distribute it only specially certified physicians and only as part of three mandatory in-person appointments with the patient getting the drug. The doctors also had to be capable of performing emergency surgery to stop excess bleeding and an abortion procedure if the drug didnt end the pregnancy. Over time, the FDA reaffirmed mifepristones safety and repeatedly eased restrictions. How often are there serious problems? Abortion opponents say the FDAs 2021 decision allowing online prescribing and mail-order use of mifepristone resulted in many more emergency complications. But that argument lumps together women experiencing a range of issues from mifepristone not working to people who may simply have questions or concerns but dont require medical care. OB-GYNs say a tiny fraction of patients suffer major or serious adverse events after taking mifepristone. A legal brief filed with the Supreme Court last year by a group of medical organizations including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says: When used in medication abortion, major adverse events significant infection, excessive blood loss, or hospitalization occur in less than 0.32% of patients, according to a highly regarded study with more than 50,000 patients. The definition that scientists generally use for serious adverse events includes blood transfusions, major surgery, hospital admissions and death, said Ushma Upadhyay, one of the authors of that 2015 study. The prescribing information included in the packaging for mifepristone tablets lists slightly different statistics for what it calls serious adverse reactions. It cites ranges for how frequently various complications occur: 0.03% to 0.5% for transfusion; 0.2% for sepsis and 0.04% to 0.6% for hospitalization related to medication abortions. The ranges reflect findings across various relevant studies, experts said. Why do patients go to the emergency room? Mifepristones labeling lists a complication that most medical groups dont consider a serious or major adverse event: ER visits, which ranged from 2.9% to 4.6%. The current FDA label lists going to the ER as an option if patients experience prolonged heavy bleeding, severe abdominal pain or a sustained fever. But ER visits dont always reflect big problems. Some people may go there after a medication abortion because they want to be checked out or have questions but dont have a doctor, said Upadhyay, a public health scientist at the University of California, San Francisco. Others, she said, dont want to go to their primary care provider about their abortion because of stigma. A study she co-authored in 2018 found that slightly more than half of patients who visited the ER because of abortions received only observational care. How effective is the pill? Mifepristone results in a completed abortion 97.4% of the time, according to U.S. studies cited in the FDA label. But in 2.6% of cases, a surgical intervention is needed. And 0.7% of the time, the pregnancy continues. Thats compared to a procedural abortion in a clinic, where the chance of the procedure failing to end a pregnancy is extremely, extremely low, probably less than 0.1%, said Dr. Pratima Gupta, a board member for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Any time a procedural abortion is done, the clinicians ensure that it was a complete abortion by examining the tissue that is removed or performing an ultrasound during or after the procedure, she said. Gupta, who has done abortion procedures for more than 20 years, said there are very few complications from abortion any kind of abortion, medication or procedural abortion. One study suggested thats just as true for medication abortions that happen in a clinic, a doctors office or at home with the help of telehealth. How does mifepristones safety and effectiveness compare to other drugs? The FDA makes drug approval decisions on a case-by-case basis, weighing effectiveness, safety and other factors. No drug is 100% effective, and many common medications dont work for a significant portion of patients. Antidepressants typically help between 40% and 60% of people with depression. New antibiotics approved by the FDA often resolve about 70% of infections. Since 2000, roughly 6 million patients have taken mifepristone, according to the FDA. A 2021 review of agency records looking for deaths that were likely related to the drug identified 13, or 0.00027% of patients. Medical organizations supporting mifepristones availability say the drugs safety given the rate of deaths compares to ibuprofen, which more than 30 million Americans take in any given day. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Scince and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Laura Ungar and Matthew Perrone, Associated Press
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The deadline to claim the Super Early rate for Fast Companys Brands That Matter is this Friday. Rates go up March 28 at 11:59 p.m. ET. This is the fifth year that Fast Company will be honoring brands that have turned their marketing and branding strategies into cultural moments while still delivering for their core audience. It will also mark the second year that Brands That Matter will recognize CMOs of the Yearthe marketers leading their organizations to new heights with ambitious, effective leadership that keeps their brands top of mind for consumers. Brands That Matter includes a main list of General Excellence honorees, as well as dozens of brands in seven categoriesplus CMOs of the Year. Read our 2024 list to learn more about the companies that were honored. Brands That Matter is distinct from other Fast Company recognition programs in that it is solely focused on how brands build cultural relevancewhether thats pop culture, entertainment, tech, or even missionin a way that aligns with their overall identity and has a measurable business impact. Start your Brands That Matter application here. For more information on applying, see the FAQs. The final deadline to apply is June 6.
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Walmart will be skipping eggs in its Easter meal offer this year, the U.S. retail giant said on Wednesday, in the midst of shortages and sky-high prices spiked by the bird flu outbreak among poultry. Walmart’s Easter 2025 promotion features a meal kit with nine ingredients, including ham, russet potatoes, corn on the cob and a cream cake. It serves eight people for less than $6 per person – an average price which was lower than what it offered last year, it said. Notably absent from this year’s kit, however, are eggs, which were a key part of last year’s offering. In 2024, the kit included ham, sweet potatoes, apple pie, and ingredients for deviled eggs. A promotional image showed a box with 18 large brown eggs and 14 other items. That kit served up to 10 people at an average cost of less than $8 per person, the retailer said. “The items in the (2025) basket are based on some of the most popular Easter meal items. This year we did not include ingredients that are typically already found in ones pantry like salt, pepper, butter, milk and eggs,” Tricia Moriarty, a Walmart spokesperson said in an email. A widespread outbreak of bird flu among egg-laying hens has led to record prices, created severe shortages of eggs on grocery shelves and forced retailers to set limits on purchases, prompting restaurants to increase menu prices as products become scarce. The U.S. is considering importing Brazilian and broiler chicken eggs for processed foods to ease the crunch and free up more fresh eggs for shoppers. Walmart, the nation’s largest grocer, has not placed any broad purchase limits on eggs in stores, even as the cost of eggs is dynamic and supply has been tight in places, Moriarty said. Currently, the only restrictions are on purchases of 60-count cartons to six units per purchase and online only, she added. Walmart’s grocery revenue rose by mid-single digits in the quarter through January 31, the company said in February, which it noted was partly boosted by egg-price inflation. Siddharth Cavale, Reuters
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