In an effort to appease radical pro-abortion activists, the Clinton Food and Drug Administration hastily approved the abortion pill, RU-486, on September 28, 2000.  Judicial Watch immediately filed a FOIA request and then battled the government in court to force the release of documents pertaining to the decision to approve the drug.  JW learned through the document release that the FDA approved RU-486 under the "Accelerated Approval of New Drugs for Serious or Life-threatening Illnesses," a measure intended to apply to drugs for illnesses such as cancer and AIDS.

Despite the best attempts of radical pro-abortion activists and the Clinton administration to paint RU-486 as a harmless and effective drug, these documents tell a different story.  The autopsy of the UK woman who died the same day she was treated with the drug reveals a pattern of symptoms consistent with clinical studies that proved RU-486 to be a dangerous, and potentially lethal, drug for the women who take it.  Documents recently obtained shed new light on the Clinton administration’s aggressive drive to push RU-486 to market in the United States

Court Documents

• BRIEF OF THE APPELLANT
• PLAINTIFF’S SURREPLY IN SUPPORT OF ITS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT - See the document as filed
• PLAINTIFF’S OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT - See the document as filed
• PLAINTIFF’S OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANT’S MOTION FOR A STAY OF PROCEEDINGS - Read Judicial Watch's Legal Brief on RU-486 Documents
• ORIGINAL FOIA REQUEST

Press Releases

• Judicial Watch Releases Special Report: "The Clinton RU-486 Files" (May 9, 2006)
• Judicial Watch Goes Before Appellate Court to Force Release of FDA RU-486 Records (Apr 31, 2006)

Further Reading

• "The Clinton RU-486 Files"
• Docs Prove RU-486 Dangerous to Women