From: Ruth Schaffer
  Subj: RU486

There was a small blurb in the Boston Globe this morning... 
RU486 has received a letter of preliminatry approval from the 
FDA after their study of the US trials of the drug... all they 
are waiting for for final approval is manufacturing info and 
labeling info... they have passed the first major hurdle in 
approval... the drug has been proven safe and effective for the 
purpose of abortion when used in conjunction with misoprostol... 
The trials conducted by the NY based Population Council a non 
profit health research organization...Population Council 
currently hold the US patent on the drug... the drug currently 
is being manufactured in China but is not being actively 
exported.. The Population Council says there are several 
maufacturers willing to produce the drug...