The chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) pro-life committee on June 22 marked the fourth anniversary of the Supreme Court's ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization by warning that the decision's gains are being eroded by the availability of abortion pills.
Bishop Daniel Thomas, who chairs the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, said in a statement that federal policy under the Trump administration has continued to undercut state-level abortion restrictions enacted in the wake of the 2022 ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade.
"The victory of the Dobbs decision risks being undone by the massive influx of abortion pills," Bishop Thomas said. "While the Dobbs decision gave states the freedom to pass pro-life laws and protect preborn children, these laws are now being undermined."
Bishop Thomas said the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) bears responsibility for the trend.
The FDA “has enabled a nationwide mail-order abortion industry by allowing abortion pills to be prescribed in telemed appointments and sold both at neighborhood pharmacies and online, circumventing state laws that protect life in the womb," he stated.
He called on the faithful to pray for women "who are deceived by the abortion industry" and to share information about the harm of abortion pills.
The bishop also announced that from mid-August through the end of October — Respect Life Month — the bishops’ committee will invite Catholics to join a prayer and action campaign at respectlife.org.