WASHINGTON – Adverse reactions linked to the abortion pill, RU-486 (search), including the deaths of three women, have led the Food and Drug Administration (search) to change the labeling on the drug to warn patients of the possibility of complications including bacterial infections, serious bleeding and death.
But some lawmakers who oppose abortion say that's not going far enough. They want the FDA to take the drug off the market.
Marketed as mifepristone, (search) RU-486 triggers an abortion in 48 hours from ingestion. It has been prescribed to hundreds of thousands of women since hitting the U.S. market in 2000.
Holly Patterson died at age 18, 19 days after taking the pill. Her father wants the drug recalled and new clinical trials.
"I want to know how many women will have to die before the FDA takes action. I don't feel that there is an acceptable risk for women to die before, you know, we need to really further evaluate how safe this drug is," Monty Patterson told FOX News.
Patterson met with top FDA doctors last month. Shortly afterward, warning labels were put on the drug. Patterson said if the drug remains on the market, he wants the FDA to require doctors to document any serious side effects.
Kansas Republican Sen. Sam Brownback (search) accused the FDA of rushing the approval process for the drug. He has introduced legislation to pull the drug and review its safety.
"It went through this expedited process that's meant only for drugs that are lifesaving drugs," he said.
Pro-choice advocates say RU-486 is a safe, effective alternative to a surgical abortion. Elizabeth Cavendish, interim president of NARAL-Pro Choice America (search), said complications resulting in death have been few and not conclusively linked to the drug.
"I think that the characterization of it being deadly and dangerous is really anti-choice propaganda," she said.
Cavendish added that all drugs carry certain risks and RU-486 was not rushed through clinical trials.
Click in the box near the top of the story to watch a report by FOX News' Major Garrett.
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