1985 National Institutes of Health begins to support research on other potential medical uses of mifepristone. 1988 French Ministry of Health announces approval of mifepristone combined with a prostaglandin for early medical abortion. Mifepristone is approved in China, but Roussel suspends its plan for distribution there and in other countries. 1989 Mifepristone becomes available in France. Mifepristone is approved for use in the United Kingdom.
Mifepristone is approved for use in Sweden.
An oral prostaglandin is approved for use with mifepristone in France. Studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine show effectiveness of mifepristone plus an oral prostaglandin. Clinical trials of mifepristone for early termination of pregnancy begin in the United States under Population Council sponsorship. A total of 2,121 women were enrolled in the medical abortion trial at 17 sites around the country. The Council submits its New Drug Application to the FDA, based primarily on data from the French pivotal studies.