Dr. Heidi Overton, President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), could usher in a period of heightened scrutiny for mifepristone, an abortion medication at the center of ongoing federal safety reviews, according to John Mize, CEO of Americans United for Life (AUL).
Mize, whose organization has advocated against abortion since 1971, stated in an interview that he has had multiple conversations with Overton, who currently serves as Trump's deputy assistant for domestic policy and is known for her pro-life stance. He expressed optimism that Overton would be a "pro-life FDA commissioner" who would bring "objectivity to the issue of mifepristone in a way that will expose this drug for the damage it causes women."
Overton's nomination arrives weeks after an incident in North Carolina where an 18-year-old woman was accused of using mifepristone and misoprostol to terminate a pregnancy at 31 weeks, significantly beyond the FDA's approved limit of 10 weeks for mifepristone. Mifepristone carries an FDA boxed warning, the agency's strongest safety alert, due to the risk of serious infections or potentially fatal bleeding. The FDA removed the in-person dispensing requirement for the drug in 2021, allowing it to be prescribed via telehealth and mailed by certified pharmacies. Mize advocates for stricter regulations.
"Dr. Overton and I share a very similar perspective that the drug is dangerous, particularly in an unregulated way for women," Mize told Fox News Digital. "I firmly believe she understands the clinical implications of taking a drug with a black box warning and now shipping it in the mail."
In a February 2023 policy brief for the America First Policy Institute, Overton criticized federal policymakers for expanding access to abortion pills and accused the Biden administration of using the COVID-19 pandemic to justify allowing mifepristone and misoprostol to be mailed to patients. She wrote that "America First policies should focus on immediately halting the effort to normalize abortion-on-demand and on broadly recognizing the evidence of the risk posed to women."
Mize referenced a 2025 study from the Ethics and Public Policy Center that analyzed insurance claims from mifepristone abortions between 2017 and 2023, reporting a nearly 11% rate of serious adverse events. While acknowledging the study faced criticism regarding its methodology and lack of peer review, Mize believes Overton is aware of these factors and will evaluate the findings.
If confirmed, Overton would oversee the FDA's ongoing safety review of mifepristone, initiated in September 2025. Mize hopes for a comprehensive evaluation that could lead to tighter restrictions or even the removal of the drug from the market, though he acknowledges that broader societal acceptance for such a move may not yet exist.
Mize described Overton as "measured" and "methodical," suggesting that significant changes at the FDA may not be immediate. Dr. Marty Makary, the previous FDA commissioner, resigned in May after facing criticism from both Trump administration officials and pro-life activists for the agency's handling of the mifepristone safety review.
Overton's confirmation hearing has not yet been scheduled but is anticipated after the Senate reconvenes from its summer recess on September 14.