French Abortion Pill Will Begin Clinical Trials in U.S. in 2 Months
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PARIS — The controversial French abortion pill will be tested in clinical trials in the United States in about two months, the drug’s manufacturer, Roussel-Uclaf, said Wednesday.
“The new American Administration has shown interest in testing the pill,” said Dr. Andre Ulmann, the firm’s director of endocrinology. “They made an official request asking that we respond.”
The pharmaceutical company is reviewing offers by “fewer than five” medical organizations in the United States to begin testing the pill, called RU-486, on American women, Ulmann said.
Ulmann said the testing would proceed quickly. He would not identify the research groups.
Roussel-Uclaf has shown wariness about marketing the drug in the United States. Anti-abortion groups have threatened to boycott other pharmaceuticals made by Hoechst Celanese, the U.S. subsidiary of Roussel-Uclaf’s parent company, Hoechst AG of Germany.
Roussel-Uclaf President Edouard Sakiz was quoted by the Wall Street Journal-Europe on Wednesday as saying that about 15 small companies have approached the firm about marketing the drug in the United States.
The pill, which has proved effective in 96% of cases, is sold in France, Britain and Sweden.
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