Clostridium Infection Suspected In Abortion Deaths

U.S. health officials suspect the abortion pill, RU-486 to be associated with the outbreak of rare bacterial infections. Out of the 6 women who took the pill 4 died of Clostridium infection. Mifeprex or RU-486 is now expected to be pulled from the shelves. Food and Drug Administration has not attributed their deaths to the drug. The rare bacterium infection is caused by Clostridium sordellii. The FDA concluded one of the six deaths was unrelated to the drug and another is still under review. Mifeprex, is manufactured by Danco Laboratories LLC, is taken along with a second drug called misoprostol early in pregnancy to trigger an abortion.

A panel of outside experts is thought to review related infections in tissue graft patients and outbreaks of Clostridium difficile bacteria infections in several states. A meeting is to be held regarding this issue which would identify the cause and further research in this subject. Dr. Vanessa Cullins, vice president for medical affairs at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said that the meeting should not drift into politics but rather focus on science. But three anti-abortion groups have already filed a petition with the FDA in 2002 seeking its withdrawal. But the company says that about 575,000 women have taken Mifeprex since its approval and there is no evidence linking it to the deaths. But healthcare officials have expressed their concern over increasing bacterial infection become they are becoming more and more resistant to antibiotics.