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Douglas Johnson of the National Right to Life Committee maintains, "If you have a drug commonly available that makes abortion easier, you will have more abortions" — this despite statistics showing that abortions in France have declined since the introduction of RU 486. ²⁰

Joseph Scheidler, executive director of the Pro-Life Action League, told a reporter that "after you've had your [RU 486] abortion, you've usually got to go back and have a D and C." ²⁰ In reality, further surgical intervention, such as a D and C, is only necessary in three to four percent of cases — hardly "usually." ³

In general, except for the fact that it can be used four weeks earlier, RU 486 abortions are comparable in all medical ways with surgical procedures. "The significance of RU 486 for developed countries is not that it is measurably safer or more effective than up-to-date surgical methods but that it can be used in relative privacy. Women seeking early abortions could be treated by their regular doctors and not be forced to visit abortion clinics where protestors may be demonstrating outside." ¹⁸ In fact, if RU 486 were approved, the abortion war might well collapse for lack of both targets and ammunition.

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