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Abortion Pill Inventor Etienne-Emile Baulieu Dies at 98

Published

12 hours ago

31/05/2025

Chioma Alaedu

Etienne-Emile Baulieu, the French scientist best known for inventing the abortion pill, has died at the age of 98.

He passed away peacefully at his home in Paris on Friday, according to his wife, Simone Harari Baulieu.

Abortion pill inventor Etienne-Emile Baulieu gained international recognition for creating mifepristone—also called RU-486—a drug that gave millions of women a safe and non-surgical option to end early pregnancies. His work in reproductive health transformed women’s healthcare around the world.

French President Emmanuel Macron paid a moving tribute to Baulieu, calling him “a beacon of courage” and “a progressive mind who enabled women to win their freedom.” Macron added in a post on X (formerly Twitter), “Few French people have changed the world to such an extent.”

Baulieu’s wife, Simone, also praised his lifelong dedication to science and gender equality. “His research was guided by his commitment to the progress made possible by science, his dedication to women’s freedom, and his desire to enable everyone to live better, longer lives,” she said.

Born on December 12, 1926, in Strasbourg, France, to Jewish parents, Baulieu was originally named Etienne Blum. During World War II, he joined the French resistance at just 15 years old. Later, he adopted the name Emile Baulieu in honor of his new identity and commitment to freedom.

He trained as a doctor and soon focused his research on steroid hormones. Influenced by Gregory Pincus—the scientist behind the birth control pill—Baulieu began studying sex hormones, which eventually led to his groundbreaking discovery.

His key breakthrough came in the early 1980s, when he developed a method to block progesterone, the hormone essential for maintaining pregnancy. This research led to the invention of mifepristone in 1982.

The abortion pill, as it came to be known, faced years of legal and political battles, as well as strong opposition from anti-abortion groups. Despite harsh criticism and personal attacks, Baulieu remained firm in his belief that science should serve freedom and women’s rights.

“You, a Jew and a resistance fighter, you were overwhelmed with the most atrocious insults and even compared to Nazi scientists,” President Macron said during a 2023 ceremony where Baulieu received France’s highest honor. “But you held on, for the love of freedom and science.”

Baulieu never stopped advocating for women’s health. Even at age 96, he criticized a U.S. state’s 2023 ban on abortion pills, calling the law “scandalous.”

Although Baulieu is best known for the abortion pill, he made other important scientific contributions. In 1963, he discovered DHEA, a hormone that was later used in some anti-aging products. In his later years, he also studied Alzheimer’s disease and depression.

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Baulieu was a recipient of the prestigious Lasker Prize in 1989, which recognized his significant impact on medicine. He also had a deep appreciation for the arts and became friends with pop art icon Andy Warhol. He often said that artists had a special ability to understand the human soul, something scientists could never fully grasp.

“I’m fascinated by artists who claim to have access to the human soul—something that will forever remain beyond the reach of scientists,” he once said.

Etienne-Emile Baulieu’s legacy is one of scientific courage, compassion, and the belief in human rights. His work gave women around the world access to safer reproductive choices and opened the door for new medical research.

He is survived by his wife, three children, eight grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.