French scientist and pioneer in reproductive health, Etienne-Emile Baulieu, known for inventing abortion pill, has passed away at 98.
He died peacefully at his home in Paris on Friday, according to his wife, Simone Harari Baulieu.
Baulieu, widely known for developing the abortion pill mifepristone (also called RU-486), earned global recognition for his groundbreaking work in reproductive medicine.
His invention offered a non-surgical and accessible option for millions of women seeking safe abortions worldwide.
In a heartfelt tribute, French President Emmanuel Macron described Baulieu as “a beacon of courage” and “a progressive mind who enabled women to win their freedom.”
“Few French people have changed the world to such an extent,” Macron added in a post on X.
Baulieu’s wife also praised his unwavering commitment to science and women’s rights.
“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 in a statement.
Born in Strasbourg on December 12, 1926, to Jewish parents, Baulieu originally named Etienne Blum joined the French resistance at just 15, later adopting the name Emile Baulieu.
A trained doctor and researcher, he specialized in steroid hormones and was encouraged by Gregory Pincus, the developer of the contraceptive pill, to pursue research in sex hormones.
His research led to a method of blocking progesterone, a key hormone in pregnancy.
This breakthrough eventually led to the development of mifepristone in 1982, sparking decades of debate, legal challenges, and threats from anti-abortion activists.
“Adversity slides off him like water off a duck’s back,” said Simone Harari Baulieu in an interview with AFP.
“You, a Jew and a resistance fighter, you were overwhelmed with the most atrocious insults and even compared to Nazi scientists,” President Macron said when awarding him France’s highest honour in 2023. “But you held on, for the love of freedom and science.”
Despite the criticism, Baulieu never backed down. At 96, he was still speaking out for women’s rights, describing the 2023 abortion pill ban in the U.S. state of Wyoming as “scandalous.”
Baulieu also made significant contributions to Alzheimer’s and depression research in his later years and continued working well into his 90s.
He also discovered the hormone DHEA in 1963, which later found limited use in anti-aging products.
In 1989, he received the prestigious Lasker Prize and was also a passionate admirer of the arts.
Baulieu became friends with notable figures like Andy Warhol and often praised artists for their deep understanding of the human soul.
“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.
Baulieu is survived by his wife, three children, eight grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.
