A legal battle is underway after Sage Publishing retracted several studies on the risks of chemical abortions. Ten researchers from the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute have sued the publisher, accusing it of retracting their work due to political pressure. The lawsuit claims that Sage’s actions violated contract laws and damaged the reputations of the scientists involved.
The studies, two of which focused on the dangers of abortion pills, were withdrawn in February, following a reader’s complaint that questioned the data and affiliations of the authors. Dr. James Studnicki, one of the lead researchers, stated that Sage’s decision to retract the studies was politically motivated. He emphasized that the retractions were unethical and harmed the credibility of the authors.
One of the retracted studies, published in 2021, cited a 500% rise in emergency room visits related to chemical abortions between 2002 and 2015. Another study, from 2022, looked into cases where women did not disclose their chemical abortions to emergency room doctors, leading to repeated visits. Both studies have been used in federal court cases involving the FDA’s approval of mifepristone, a drug commonly used in chemical abortions.
Dr. Studnicki, who was removed from the editorial board of a Sage journal months before the retractions, said that the studies were pulled without proper scientific justification. The lawsuit aims to bring Sage to arbitration over the matter.
The controversy surrounding abortion pills has gained more attention after Kamala Harris falsely claimed a woman in Georgia died due to an abortion ban. In reality, the death was linked to mifepristone use, further raising questions about the drug’s safety. Meanwhile, major retailers like CVS and Walgreens have moved forward with plans to dispense the abortion pill, despite safety concerns.