RU 486, THE SO-CALLED FRENCH ABORTION PILL, would probably sail through the persnickety approval process at the Food and Drug Administration -- if someone would put in an application. The drug has few side effects, is safer than surgical abortion, and is very effective for ending a pregnancy in the first trimester. Though RU 486 would be a big seller, French manufacturer Roussel Uclaf has avoided seeking approval in the U.S. Reason: the militant antiabortion movement, which had supporters in Presidents Reagan and Bush.
With Bill Clinton in charge, Roussel Uclaf may be reconsidering. Its president, Edouard Sakiz, met with FDA...