French scientist behind abortion tablet dies aged 98

The French scientist who created the abortion tablet has died on the age of 98.

Étienne-Émile Baulieu helped develop the oral drug RU-486, also referred to as mifepristone, which has offered hundreds of thousands of girls internationally with a protected and cheap various to a surgical abortion.

Dr Baulieu died at his residence in Paris on Friday, his widow confirmed in an announcement.

Simone Harari Baulieu mentioned: “His analysis was guided by his dedication to progress by means of science, his dedication to ladies’s freedom and his need to allow everybody to reside higher and longer lives.”

French President Emmanuel Macron referred to as Dr Baulieu “a beacon of braveness” and “a progressive thoughts who enabled ladies to win their freedom”.

“Few French individuals have modified the world to such an extent,” he added in a publish on X.

Aurore Bergé, France’s gender equality minister, mentioned Dr Baulieu “was guided all through his life by one requirement: that of human dignity” in a publish on X.

Dr Baulieu was born Étienne Blum on 12 December 1926 in Strasbourg. He modified his identify to affix the French resistance towards the Nazi occupation when he was 15.

Following his commencement, he travelled to the USA the place he labored with the person often known as the daddy of the contraceptive tablet, Dr Gregory Pincus. Dr Pincus suggested him on specializing in intercourse hormones.

Again in France, Dr Baulieu designed a technique to dam the impact of the hormone progesterone – which is crucial for the egg to implant within the uterus following fertilisation.

Whereas the abortion tablet was developed inside 10 years, Dr Baulieu spent a long time pushing worldwide governments to authorise the drug regardless of going through fierce criticism and typically threats from opponents of abortion.

The World Well being Organisation (WHO) added it to its listing of important medicine solely in 2010.

Presenting him with the Grand Cross of the Legion d’Honneur in 2023, Macron mentioned: “You, a Jew and a member of the resistance, have been heaped with essentially the most atrocious insults and in comparison with Nazi scientists.

“However you held agency, out of affection for freedom and science.”

Upon Wyoming changing into the primary US state to ban the abortion tablet in 2023, Dr Baulieu famous he had spent a big a part of his life making an attempt to extend “the liberty of girls”, including such bans have been a step within the flawed path.

His latest analysis included looking for a option to stop the event of Alzheimer’s illness, in addition to a remedy for extreme despair.