Étienne-Émile Baulieu, French Pioneer Behind the Abortion Pill Mifepristone, Dies at 98

Born in Strasbourg in 1926 as Étienne Blum, Baulieu was the son of Jewish parents in a France soon to be engulfed by the tides of World War II. At just 15, he joined the French Resistance under the alias Émile Baulieu—a name he would carry for the rest of his life. This formative experience marked him with a deep appreciation for autonomy, liberty, and human dignity, values that would later resonate through his scientific work. His early involvement in the resistance forged a resilience that would guide him through decades of medical controversy and ethical debate.