The Final Word with Bob Wurzelbacher

January is a month of new beginnings. As we begin 2026, so does a familiar movement of hope and witness: in just a few weeks, tens of thousands of people from across the country will gather again to promote the dignity of the unborn, work toward ending abortion, support women in crisis pregnancies, and offer real hope and healing to those suffering after an abortion decision. This annual moment reminds us that the issues at stake are not distant or theoretical; they are present and urgent in our own communities. 

As recent U.S. cases have come into focus, the argument for restoring stronger safeguards around the abortion pill is no longer abstract—it has become urgent and practical. There were at least three disturbing incidents in 2024 alone: a Toledo doctor accused of secretly administering mifepristone and misoprostol to his girlfriend, a North Texas man charged with allegedly slipping “Plan C” into a partner’s drink, and a Massachusetts man accused of deceiving a woman into taking pills that ended her pregnancy. Each case shows how easily a third party can obtain abortion drugs and use them without a woman’s consent. The Toledo case, involving a physician alleged to have misused medical access and personal data, is especially alarming.

These cases share a common and avoidable mechanism: someone other than the pregnant woman obtains abortion pills—typically through online or mail-order channels—and administers them secretly or coercively. Easy access, anonymity, and remote prescribing combined to create opportunities for abuse that did not exist when in-person safeguards were standard. Where clinicians once verified identity and consent face to face, remote pathways now allow a third party to obtain pills intended for someone else.

Policy choices over the last decade contributed to these vulnerabilities. Mifepristone was originally approved with a REMS (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy) that required in-person dispensing and clinician oversight. Those safeguards were relaxed over time: the in-person follow-up was removed in 2016, and the in-person dispensing requirement was lifted in 2021. The FDA claimed these changes were based on safety data and access concerns, but the practical result has been an expansion of pathways by which drugs can be obtained remotely and delivered by mail, creating more opportunities for misuse.

Beyond the criminal cases, broader research shows that pressure and coercion in abortion decisions are common. Large surveys and analyses—including work cited by the Lozier Institute—report that many women who underwent abortions felt pressured or coerced. Such pressure is associated with worse emotional and mental-health outcomes later on. While these studies do not determine causation in every situation, they demonstrate that vulnerability and outside pressure are real factors that policy must address.

From a Catholic moral perspective, abortion is a grave wrong because it ends an innocent human life. Yet, even setting that conviction aside, any responsible policy must at a minimum prioritize women’s safety. Restoring key elements of the original REMS—including an in-person clinician assessment or a robust verification of informed, voluntary consent, along with tighter controls on who may obtain and dispense mifepristone—would meaningfully reduce the ability of bad actors to weaponize abortion drugs against women and their unborn children.

We cannot know how many incidents have gone unreported or presumed to be miscarriages, but it seems likely there were many. Even the known cases should prompt a cautious public-health response. When a drug can be used covertly to end a pregnancy, it is sensible to require clearer verification of consent, meaningful clinician involvement, and better tracking of dispensing. Restoring appropriate REMS protections is a prudent measure to ensure safety, consent, and the protection of life.

Bob Wurzelbacher is the Director of the Office for Respect Life Ministries & Office for Persons with Disabilities.

This article appeared in the January 2026 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.