ROME (AP) — French scientist Etienne Emile Baurieu, renowned for inventing abortion medications, passed away on Friday at the age of 98 in his Paris residence, according to a statement from his institute.
Baurieu, both a physician and a researcher, gained global recognition for the scientific, medical, and societal implications of his studies on steroid hormones.
The Institut Baulieu noted in a statement on its website that, “His research was driven by a passion for the advancements enabled by science, his dedication to women’s autonomy, and his aspiration for all to lead longer, healthier lives.”
Born in Strasbourg on December 12, 1926, to Etienne Bloom, he adopted the name “Emile Baurieu” when he joined the French resistance against Nazi occupation at just 15 years old.
The endocrinologist, who completed his PhD in 1955 after eight years of study, established a groundbreaking research unit in 1963, where he focused on hormones at Inserm, the French Institute for Health Research. He led this unit until 1997.
Baurieu is particularly noted for developing RU 486 in 1982, significantly impacting the lives of millions of women worldwide by providing a safe and voluntary option for medical termination of pregnancy.
According to the Institut Baulieu, it represented “a less invasive method, more effective and quicker than surgical options.” Following his discoveries, researchers faced significant backlash from opponents of women’s reproductive rights.
“Even today, access to this method is restricted and prohibited in certain countries, and it continues to be contested in the United States, where it is the most commonly used abortion procedure,” the institute added.
Baurieu’s research on DHEA explored the hormone’s secretion and its anti-aging properties, which led to investigations into neurosteroids—steroids within the nervous system. He also created an innovative treatment for depression, which is currently undergoing clinical trials at various university hospitals.
In 2008, he founded the Institut Baulieu to research, prevent, and treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
He was awarded the grand crosses of the Legion of Honour and the Ordre National du Mérite, and was elected to the French Academy of Sciences in 1982, presiding over it in 2003 and 2004.
A member of the National Advisory Committee on Life Sciences and Health from 1996 to 2002, he received numerous accolades both domestically and internationally.
French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his condolences on X, describing Baurieu as a “beacon of courage” and a “progressive thinker who empowered women.” He added, “Few French individuals have changed the world like this.”
After the loss of his first wife, Yolande Companion, he remarried Simone Harari Baurieu. He is survived by three children, eight grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren, as reported by his institute.
Source: apnews.com