U.S. Publisher Retracts Studies Referenced by Texas Judge in Abortion Pill Approval Suspension, Reports Reuters

By Brendan Pierson

A U.S. scientific publisher has retracted two studies primarily due to methodological concerns. A Texas judge had previously referenced these studies in a ruling that suspended federal approval of the abortion pill mifepristone, following a lawsuit from anti-abortion doctors and medical associations.

The retraction, announced on Monday, occurs just weeks before the U.S. Supreme Court is slated to hear an appeal from President Joe Biden’s administration regarding this matter. Mifepristone, which is part of a two-pill regimen for medication abortion, remains available while the appeal is in progress.

The studies were led by James Studnicki, a public health researcher and vice president at the anti-abortion Charlotte Lozier Institute. In response to the retraction, Studnicki and co-author Tessa Longbons stated, “The Charlotte Lozier Institute rejects this baseless attack on our scientific research and studies. To date, Sage has advanced no valid objection to their findings and no legitimate reason for their retraction.”

One of the studies indicated that abortions using mifepristone resulted in a higher rate of emergency room visits compared to surgical abortions. However, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has declared that mifepristone is “exceedingly safe and effective.”

U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk in Amarillo referred to this study to support the plaintiffs’ legal standing in their challenge against the pill’s approval, claiming that they would be negatively impacted by complications arising from medication abortions. The issue of standing is likely to be a critical point in the upcoming appeal.

Another retracted study suggested that complications from medication abortions are often misclassified as miscarriages, which Kacsmaryk also noted to argue that the actual rate of complications is underreported.

Sage Publications announced that independent experts reviewed the two studies and identified “fundamental problems” that undermine the authors’ conclusions. The publisher also stated that the authors’ affiliations with the Charlotte Lozier Institute and other anti-abortion organizations should have been disclosed due to potential conflicts of interest.

In April, Judge Kacsmaryk temporarily suspended the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s approval of mifepristone, siding with several anti-abortion groups. A federal appeals court later reinstated the original approval but reinstated certain restrictions that the FDA had lifted, including limitations on prescribing via telemedicine and mailing it to patients. This ruling is currently on hold as the Biden administration appeals, while the Supreme Court has opted against an outright ban on the pill.

As of 2022, medication abortion constituted the majority of abortions performed in the U.S., according to a research group advocating for abortion rights. David Cohen, a law professor specializing in constitutional law and abortion rights, stated that the likelihood of the retraction influencing the Supreme Court’s decision is minimal.