Greenburg was correct that mifepristone must be taken with another drug, misoprostol, to actually induce and complete an abortion. Misoprostol induces the uterine contractions and results in the expulsion of the embryo. What Greenburg failed to mention is that this process may only be initiated during the first 49 days after a woman's last normal menstrual period. It is 92 to 98 percent effective. It enables women to terminate an unintended or unwanted pregnancy without surgery and much earlier than other methods currently available in the United States.
Mifepristone has medical benefits unrelated to abortion.
Recent medical studies suggest that mifepristone may have potential for a variety of conditions, including endometriosis, uterine fibroid tumors, and ovarian and uterine cancers. Many of the potential uses for this drug apply also to men. It has been shown effective in treating benign brain tumors, Cushing's Syndrome, HIV virus, depression and prostate cancer. Some patients who have been taking mifepristone for years for treatment of meningioma report it has stopped tumor growth and is saving their lives. The current FDA-approved regimen for mifepristone is expensive, and access to it is highly restricted.