Americans Sharply Divide Over Abortion Pill

Although most Americans think abortion should be legal, they are sharply
divided over the issue of the abortion pill RU-486. (ABCNEWS.com)

Analysis By Dalia Sussman, ABCNEWS.com

Sept. 13, 2000 As the Food and Drug Administration gears up to rule on whether the abortion pill RU-486 can be marketed in the United States, the public stands sharply divided on the matter in fact, more divided than it is over the issue of abortion in general.

An ABCNEWS.com poll found that 45 percent say it should be legal for doctors to prescribe the pill in the United States; 47 percent say it should be illegal. For comparison, 55 percent of Americans think abortion should be legal in all or most cases; 42 percent do not.

RU-486 causes an abortion when taken in the first seven weeks of pregnancy. It has been used in France for more than a decade. The FDA determined the pill safe in 1996; final approval rests on the FDAs review of the drugs manufacturing, labeling and marketing. A decision is expected by the end of the month.

How Groups View RU-486

Views on the issue divide among demographic groups. Support for legal RU-486 is higher among younger, higher-income, better-educated Americans, and Democrats; Republicans, older, less-educated and lower-income Americans are more apt to want it banned.

Campaign 2000

With the FDA decision expected by the end of the month, RU-486 could become a campaign issue. Al Gore, who supports legal abortion, says he will not block sale of the pill if it meets FDA standards. Bush, who opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest or when the womans life is in danger, also opposes the sale or use of RU-486.

Abortion continues to rank low on the publics list of priorities, coming in 15th of 17 issues tested in an ABCNEWS/Washington Post poll last week.

Methodology

This ABCNEWS.com survey was conducted by telephone Sept. 6-10 among a random national sample of 1,006 adults. The results have a 3-point error margin. Field work was done by ICR-International Communications Research of Media, Pa.