Acting Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Kyle Diamantas called on pro-life organizations to provide reassurance about their commitment to life after some in the movement raised concerns.
“Acting Commissioner Kyle Diamantas is personally committed to carrying out President Trump’s pro-life and pro-family agenda at the FDA,” Andrew Nixon, deputy assistant secretary for media relations at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, told EWTN News.
“He and other administration officials will continue to regularly interact with stakeholders in this community to inform FDA decision-making,” he said.
Diamantas is serving as acting commissioner following the May 12 resignation of Commissioner Marty Macri, who faced criticism within the pro-life movement for his failure to impose stricter regulations on the abortion drug mifepristone.
Some pro-life leaders celebrated Macri’s departure, but became concerned about Diamantas because court records show he was working as legal counsel for a Planned Parenthood affiliate while working at the Baker Donelson law firm. The matter was related to property dispute.
Alex Brusewitz, an adviser to President Donald Trump, dismissed the concern. a post on xSaying he was a junior associate assigned to the case, but recused himself because of his pro-life beliefs.
Within the past two days, Diamantas has contacted some pro-life advocates, including March for Life President Jenny Bradley Lichter. A spokesperson for Live Action confirmed that they have also scheduled a conversation with Live Action president Lila Rose.
“Within hours of being handed this big new job, he was on the phone with pro-life leaders and that in itself, I think, is a really encouraging sign of where his priorities are going to be,” Lichter told “EWTN Pro-Life Weekly” host Abigail Galvan.
Lichter said he spoke to Diamantas about his concerns about mifepristone, particularly “the lack of safety, the lack of guardrails, (and) its easy availability.”
Under Macri, the FDA launched a study to review the 2023 regulation of mifepristone, but so far no action has been taken to increase restrictions. In fact, that same month, the FDA approved a generic version of the drug.
Based on their conversation, Lichter said, “I think we’re going to see real movement on that study” and “I think the cause of life, you know, is going to have a real champion at the FDA under Diamantas’ leadership”.
“I feel really comfortable that he’s bringing strong pro-life commitments and a commitment to transparency and all moving forward at a deliberate pace to take a close look at mifepristone and then take decisive action based on what that study shows,” she said.
Mark Harrington, president of Created Equal, told EWTN News that he has not received a call from Diamantas and expressed hesitation about his leadership of the FDA, saying that his efforts “can be seen as nothing more than damage control.”
“Talk is cheap,” he said. “But there is personnel policy, and the fact that Diamantas (allegedly) represents Planned Parenthood, I doubt he would advocate for a full mifepristone safety study. We will trust but verify. Action needs to be taken now on the abortion drug.”
