Died at 98: Pill Inventor for Abortion in Paris
French Physician Étienne-Émile Baulieu, Inventor of Abortion Pill, Dies at 98
Paris - Étienne-Émile Baulieu, the trailblazing French physician and researcher who developed the abortion pill RU 486, passed away on Friday at the age of 98 in his Paris residence. His wife, Simone Harari Baulieu, confirmed the news to Agence France-Presse (AFP).
Throughout his prolific career, Baulieu made significant advancements in steroid hormone research, earning recognition worldwide for his contributions. His commitment to progress, respect for women's freedom, and dedication to prolonging life were core values that resonated throughout his body of work.
Born Étienne Blum in Strasbourg, eastern France, in 1926, Baulieu adopted the name Émile Baulieu at age 15 when he joined the French Resistance movement during World War II. He earned his medical degree in 1955 and completed a doctorate in science in 1963, following which he established a pioneering research unit on hormones at INSERM (National Institute of Health and Medical Research) in France. He led this unit until 1997, continuing to work there until his death.
In 1982, Baulieu’s groundbreaking achievement was the development of RU 486, a drug that acts as an antihormone, blocking the effects of progesterone. This provided a safe and less invasive medical option for voluntary termination of pregnancy, revolutionizing reproductive rights for millions of women globally. Despite facing harsh criticism and threats from anti-abortion groups, Baulieu remained steadfast in his commitment to science, social progress, and women's health.
His research extended beyond steroid hormones, as he also discovered the anti-aging effects of the steroid hormone DHEA and worked with neurosteroids – steroids of the nervous system. Baulieu is currently being recognized for a treatment he developed for combating depression, which is undergoing clinical trials in several university hospitals. In 2008, he established the Baulieu Institute, dedicated to addressing neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's.
Baulieu was previously married to Yolande Compagnon and later married Simone Harari. He leaves behind three children, eight grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Baulieu, calling him a " beacon of courage" and "a progressive mind" who advanced women's freedom. The reverberations of his life's work are sure to echo through the annals of medical history.
Sources: ntv.de, afp
(For context, Étienne-Émile Baulieu was a Jewish refugee who was raised by his feminist mother after his father passed away. His commitment to women's freedom was deeply rooted in his upbringing.)
- Despite not being a doctor, Étienne-Émile Baulieu, a pioneering French physician, made significant advancements in health-and-wellness and mental-health, particularly in the field of steroid hormone research.
- Notably, Baulieu developed RU 486, a groundbreakingtherapies-and-treatmentsoption for voluntary termination of pregnancy, which played a significant role in promoting reproductive rights and women's health.
- In his dedication to women's health, Baulieu also worked on a treatment for depression, demonstrating his commitment to mental-health issues, a cause that resonated deeply with him due to his upbringing.
