Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Marty Makary on Friday demanding information about how the drug was approved and what role he personally played in the process.
“This decision appears to ignore the science while advancing a highly questionable ideological agenda. And I fear this decision may render moot your promise to conduct a safety review of mifepristone,” Hawley wrote.
Hawley’s letter was preceded by a post on X stating that he had “lost confidence in the leadership” at FDA.
“The FDA approving one more tool to kill babies is a betrayal,” Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) wrote on X. “This is not what Commissioner Makary and Secretary Kennedy indicated they would do in their confirmation hearings.”
A group of House conservatives called on Kennedy to fire the division leaders responsible for greenlighting the drug as part of any shutdown-related layoffs.
“It is clear that rogue actors within the FDA are working to undermine both the sanctity of life and the Administration’s commitment to protecting it,” the lawmakers, led by Rep. Mark Harris (R-N.C.) wrote.
“For this reason, we respectfully urge that you consider the director of the Office of Generic Drugs, the director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, and other bureaucrats responsible for this reckless decision as part of your reduction-in-force evaluations.”
The White House defended the decision as one they were legally required to make.
FDA approvals are meant to be rooted in science and independent of political bias. They are conducted by scientists and other experts and involve technical and often lengthy discussions with the drug’s sponsor.
“It’s not an endorsement of this drug by any means. They are just simply following the law,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Friday. “By law the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services must approve a generic drug application if the application demonstrates the drug is the ‘same’ as the brand name drug.”
