The Sep. 1 News Brief (Citizen, p. 8) is lacking crucial information. The source article, PLOS Medicine (Public Library of Science), came from the Bixby Center for Global Reproductive Health in San Francisco, and one author belongs to Planned Parenthood. “Global Reproductive Health” is code for reducing births in the poorer parts of Africa and Asia — that is, population control. PLOS is an open-source publisher, which means that scientific background checking need not be done.

Mifepristone (marketed as RU-486), used to induce abortions, may be carcinogenic, that is, cancer-producing. The website for Mifepristone says that “no long-term studies to evaluate the carcinogenic potential of mifepristone have been performed. This is in accord with ICH guidelines, which do not require testing in non-genotoxic drugs intended for administration for fewer than six months.” (“Genotoxic” means “poisonous to the genes”.) But the ICH is a European Union organization, and its guidelines have not been adopted in the U.S. And while Mifepristone may not destroy genes, it can certainly damage cell tissue.

AP sent out the News Brief, but failed to explain why the more powerful RU-486 was made less toxic in 2011. Ohio is in line with FDA guidelines, but one cannot guess that from the propagandistic headline.

Sincerely yours

David George

Champaign County Right to Life