Ad's Legal Fight Ends

Washington, DC-Pro-life advocates recently dropped a lawsuit challenging the promotion of abortifacient RU-486 through ads sponsored by the National Abortion Federation. The suit charged NAF with using deceptive advertising by promoting Mifepristone as safe in several national magazines, including Self, Cosmopolitan, InStyle, Vanity Fair, and People. The ads stated, "You have the freedom to choose. And now, you have another safe abortion choice."

The suit filed in Chicago circuit court last August claimed the ads should describe side effects from the abortion pill, as required by Illinois law. The plaintiffs backed out in January, saying that only state attorneys general or the Federal Trade Commission had the resources to carry on the fight. They also cited personal plans to be involved in political races in Illinois in coming months.

NAF executive director Vicki Saporta claimed victory against "this frivolous lawsuit" and says the withdrawal indicates it "had absolutely no merit." She says the plaintiffs brought the case "solely to advance their antichoice agenda" and that NAF's public education campaign provides accurate information about the product. Many clinics and doctors have been reluctant to prescribe Mifepristone for fear of lawsuits or protests, and the NAF campaign was an effort to build consumer demand.