Scientist behind development of abortion pill dies at 98

French scientist Étienne-Émile Baulieu, renowned for pioneering the abortion pill, has passed away at the age of 98.

Baulieu was instrumental in the development of RU-486, commonly known as mifepristone, an oral medication that has offered millions of women around the globe a safe and affordable option to terminate pregnancies without surgery.

Dr. Étienne-Émile Baulieu passed away on Friday at his residence in Paris, according to a statement from his widow, Simone Harari Baulieu.

She paid tribute to his life’s work, noting that his scientific journey was driven by a deep belief in progress, a steadfast commitment to women’s rights, and a desire to help people live longer and healthier lives.

French President Emmanuel Macron described Baulieu as “a beacon of courage” and “a progressive mind who enabled women to win their freedom,” adding, “Few French citizens have had such a global impact.”

France’s Minister for Gender Equality, Aurore Bergé, echoed the praise, writing on X that Baulieu’s life was consistently guided by a commitment to human dignity.

Born as Étienne Blum on December 12, 1926, in Strasbourg, he adopted the name Baulieu as a teenager when he joined the French resistance during the Nazi occupation.

After completing his studies, Baulieu moved to the U.S., where he collaborated with Dr. Gregory Pincus, the pioneer of the contraceptive pill who encouraged him to pursue research in sex hormones.

Upon returning to France, Baulieu developed a technique to inhibit the hormone progesterone, which is critical for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus, paving the way for the creation of mifepristone.

Though the abortion pill was developed in under a decade, Dr. Étienne-Émile Baulieu spent much of his life lobbying governments around the world to approve its use often in the face of intense opposition, including threats from anti-abortion activists.

When the pill was finally authorized for sale in 1988, it ignited a firestorm of controversy across Europe and the United States.

To this day, mifepristone remains at the center of fierce political and ethical debate between supporters and opponents of abortion rights.

Despite being approved for use in more than 100 countries, access to the drug is still tightly controlled in places like the U.S., where legal and regulatory battles continue.

In recent years, anti-abortion advocates have amplified claims contradicted by medical authorities that abortion pills are unsafe, branding them as “chemical abortions.”

However, science tells a different story. Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved mifepristone in 2000, only 36 deaths have been reported out of millions of uses a rate of 0.65 deaths per 100,000 medical abortions.

By contrast, the death rate linked to regular aspirin use is roughly 15.3 per 100,000.

In recognition of its safety and effectiveness, the World Health Organization added mifepristone to its list of essential medicines in 2010.

When Wyoming became the first U.S. state to ban the abortion pill in 2023, Dr. Baulieu lamented the decision, saying he had dedicated much of his life to advancing “the freedom of women” and considered such bans a setback for human rights.

Even in his later years, Dr. Baulieu remained active in scientific research, exploring potential treatments for Alzheimer’s disease and severe depression.

In 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron awarded him the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour, praising his resilience and moral clarity: "You, a Jew and a member of the resistance, were heaped with the most atrocious insults and compared to Nazi scientists. But you held firm out of love for freedom and science."