Ru 486 Misconceptions Myths and Morals - ressourcesfeministes

CHAPTER ONEThe History of RU 486RU 486 is a recent discovery. In April 1980, Georges Teutschand Daniel Philibert of Roussel Uclaf, with French scientistEtienne-Emile Baulieu, a consultant to the company,succeeded in synthesizing RU 486, a steroid now with thetrade name Mifégyne (mifepristone). 1 Ten years later,Roussel Uclaf employees Ulmann, Teutsch and Philibertdenied that the research which led to the synthesis of RU38486 (later shortened to RU 486) was performed with theintention of discovering an abortifacient. They claimed it wasa by-product of the company’s active search for a moleculewhich would bind strongly with the glucocorticoid receptor.However, ‘Initial tests in several species soon revealed thatRU 486 was [also] a progesterone antagonist’ (Ulmann et al.,1990:45 [our emphasis]). Baulieu’s long-standing interest inhormonal contraception prompted Roussel Uclaf to focusfurther investigation of RU 486 on the drug’s potential toimpede ovulation, act as a’morning-after’ pill, and interruptpregnancy.A mere 17 months of animal research on rabbits, rats andmonkeys was deemed sufficient to judge RU 486 promisingand ‘safe’ enough to warrant clinical trials on women. Asearly as October 1981, the first study on eleven women took9