Mo. Senate Rescinds Bill Requiring Electronic Tracking Of Mifepristone Sales

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Also Included In: IT / Internet / E-mail;  Sexual Health / STDs;  Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 02 May 2008 - 7:00 PDT

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The Missouri Senate on Tuesday rescinded its vote on a bill (HB 1619) intended to create a statewide electronic drug-monitoring system to track the sale of certain controlled substances and over-the-counter medications because it mistakenly included the abortion drug mifepristone, also known as RU-486, in the same restricted category as heroin and marijuana, the AP/KSPR reports (AP/KSPR, 4/30).

According to the Springfield News-Leader, the inclusion of the mifepristone provision was left in the measure because of a clerical error (Livengood, Springfield News-Leader, 4/30). None of the senators realized the provision had not been removed until after the measure passed (AP/KSPR, 4/30).

Less than 30 minutes after the chamber passed the bill, Sen. Norma Champion (R) noticed the provision had not been removed and asked the Senate to reconsider a substitute measure that removed the amendment. The Senate then unanimously approved the substitute measure (Springfield News-Leader, 4/30). The measure now goes back to the House, the AP/KSPR reports (AP/KSPR, 4/30).

Champion, who is opposed to abortion rights, said she did not want senators who support abortion rights "to think [she] was trying to sneak something in" the measure, adding, "It simply was an error" (Springfield News-Leader, 4/30).

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