Controversy
Many anti-abortion groups in the United States actively campaigned against the approval of mifepristone and continue to actively campaign for its withdrawal. They cite either ethical issues with abortion or safety concerns regarding the drug and the adverse reactions associated with it. In March 2022, during a debate in the Kentucky House of Representatives about anti-abortion legislation, Republican representative Danny Bentley made several false claims, including the assertion that mifepristone had originally been called Zyklon B and had been developed by the Nazis during World War Two. After several Jewish advocacy groups including the American Jewish Committee complained about Bentleys comments, he later apologized for any harm he had caused, stating that he "clearly should have been more sensitive with (his) comments", but failed to correct the false statement regarding the development of the drug.Religious and anti-abortion groups outside the United States have also protested mifepristone, especially in Germany and Australia. Research
The original target for the research group was the discovery and development of compounds with antiglucocorticoid properties. These antiglucocorticoid properties are of great interest in the treatment of severe mood disorders and psychosis, although a review of published articles was inconclusive on their efficacy, and considered the use of these drugs in mood disorders at proof of concept stage.Use of mifepristone as a cervical ripening agent has been described. The medication has been studied as an antiandrogen in the treatment of prostate cancer.
Production was intended to begin through the Danco Group in 1996, but they withdrew briefly in 1997 due to a corrupt business partner, delaying availability again.In 2016, the US Food and Drug Administration approved mifepristone, to end a pregnancy through 70 days gestation (70 days or less since the first day of a womans last menstrual period). The approved dosing regimen is 200 mg of mifepristone taken by mouth (swallowed). 24 to 48 hours after taking mifepristone, 800 mcg (micrograms) of misoprostol is taken buccally (in the cheek pouch), at a location appropriate for the patient.Mifepristone tablets have a marketing authorization in the United States for the treatment of high blood sugar caused by high cortisol levels in the blood (hypercortisolism) in adults with endogenous Cushings syndrome who have type 2 diabetes mellitus or glucose intolerance and have failed surgery or cannot have surgery.In 2019, the first generic form of mifepristone in the United States became available, manufactured by GenBioPro.Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, safe access to mifepristone was a concern, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists among other groups filed a lawsuit to relax the FDAs rule as to allow mifepristone to be acquired from mail-order and retail pharmacies.