Robert Califf: Nominee to be Food and Drug Administration Commissioner
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Robert Califf previously served as FDA commissioner for nearly a year during the Obama administration. Under his leadership, several modifications were made to weaken the FDA’s safety precautions for administering chemical abortion pills. If confirmed to the commissioner position for a second time, Califf could oversee even more dramatic changes to how chemical abortion drugs are regulated in the United States -- making this already incredibly risky procedure even more dangerous for women, not to mention their unborn children.
Views on Abortion:
- During his first stint as FDA commissioner (2016–2017), Califf oversaw the first changes made to the mifepristone regulations since the drug was approved in 2000. (See link)
- The 2016 changes also eliminated the requirement for a follow-up office visit to check on the patient. Furthermore, the patient could self-administer the second step in the two-part regimen (misoprostol). This puts the woman at greater risk since she is not being monitored for sepsis (infection), hemorrhage, ectopic pregnancy, and other complications.
