Noem’s Misleading Claim About Safety of Medication Abortion

The Food and Drug Administration and numerous peer-reviewed academic studies have concluded that medication abortions are “safe and effective” and that serious adverse events from medication abortion are relatively rare. Recent research on women who receive abortion pills through the mail after a video conference with a clinician — rather than in-person from a medical clinic — does “not appear to show increases in serious safety concerns,” the FDA said.

Nonetheless, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, who opposes abortion, defended her state’s ban on prescriptions via telemedicine (rather than in-person) appointments...