Abortion pill innovator passes away at 98 in Paris
Renowned French Physician and Scientist Étienne-Émile Baulieu Passes Away at 98
PARIS — Étienne-Émile Baulieu, a globally celebrated researcher and inventor best known for developing the abortion pill RU 486, died on Friday at the age of 98 in his Paris residence, his wife Simone Harari Baulieu confirmed to the AFP news agency.
Throughout his life, Baulieu's work was characterized by his commitment to progressive advancements made possible through science, women's freedom, and improving lives for all, according to his wife. Gender Equality Minister Aurore Bergé lauded Baulieu as a guiding force in the fight for human dignity.
Born as Étienne Blum on December 12, 1926, in Strasbourg, France, Baulieu adopted the name Émile Baulieu during his teenage years while involved with the French Resistance against the Nazi occupation. After earning doctorates in both medicine and science, he founded research unit 33 at the Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (Inserm) in 1963, focusing on steroid hormones. He led the unit until 1997 and continued to work there until his death.
In 1982, Baulieu created RU 486, a pioneering medication that revolutionized the field of reproductive health by providing a non-surgical option for early pregnancy termination. He faced regular criticism and threats from anti-abortion groups over his groundbreaking work.
Baulieu's research extended beyond RU 486, as he also explored the effects of the steroid hormone DHEA and delved into neurosteroids, steroids of the nervous system. He developed a treatment for depression, currently being clinically tested in several university hospitals, and established the Institut Baulieu in 2008 to study neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's.
Baulieu was honored with the Lasker Prize, America's highest scientific award, and left behind three children, eight grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. As a staunch advocate for women's rights and scientific progress, Baulieu's impact on medicine and society will be felt for generations to come.
While Baulieu was not a doctor by profession, his work in the field of medicine as a scientist was extraordinarily impactful, particularly in the areas of reproductive health, therapies and treatments, and women's health. His pioneering work on RU 486 revolutionized the health-and-wellness sector, providing an essential non-surgical option for early pregnancy termination, and his research extended to neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's.
