Ohio House passes bill that would ban telehealth abortions

Lawmakers in the Ohio House passed a bill Wednesday regulating certain high-risk drugs, which included the abortion pill mifepristone.

Key Takeaways:

• HB 324 states that drugs that cause "serious adverse effects" must be distributed by a prescriber after an in-person examination.

• The abortion pill, mifepristone, would fall within the parameters of the bill, which means the abortion pill could no longer be prescribed via telehealth in Ohio.

The Details:

HB 324, the Patient Protection Act, was sponsored Rep. Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) and Rep. Meredith Craig (R-Smithville). It says a prescriber must conduct an in-person exam, provide a clear disclosure of risks, and offer follow-up care for all drugs that cause "serious adverse effects" in over five percent of patients.

Per the bill, a serious adverse effect means any of the following: death; infection requiring hospitalization; hemorrhaging requiring hospitalization; organ failure; or sepsis.

According to the Ohio Capital Journal, the data would be collected through insurance claims, FDA information, and reports from patients.

Though the bill does not specifically name any drugs that will be impacted by the law, the abortion pill mifepristone would fall within its scope. Should the bill become law, abortionists would no longer be allowed to send the pill through the mail or prescribe it via telehealth; instead, the woman would need to meet with a doctor in-person, and would be informed of the risks.

Several pro-life groups, including Ohio Right to Life and the Center for Christian Virtue, have hailed the bill's passage in providing "common sense" safeguards for women.

“While telehealth offers greater access and convenience, it can fall short for patients taking high-risk medications,” said Mathews. “House Bill 324 works to ensure Ohioans receive appropriate medical supervision, reducing preventable harm even as telehealth continues to expand.”

The bill next heads to the Senate for consideration.

Why It Matters:

The abortion pill comes with numerous complications, including hemorrhaging, infection, sepsis, hospitalization, and even death. Women can currently order this dangerous drug via telehealth — without ever consulting with a physician who can verify her gestational age and confirm she doesn't have an ectopic pregnancy, and can explain many of these risks.

A recent analysis of insurance data from the Ethics and Public Policy Center (EPPC) found that serious adverse events from mifepristone occur at a rate approximately 22 times higher than the rate reported on the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) label for the drug. According to the EPPC's report, nearly 11% of women (10.93%) experience sepsis, infection, hemorrhaging, or other serious or life-threatening adverse events following a mifepristone abortion — meaning one in ten women experience at least one serious complication from taking mifepristone within 45 days.

1st Trimester Abortion | The Abortion Pill | What Is Abortion?

The Bottom Line:

This Ohio legislation would be a significant step in ensuring women are informed about the significant risks of the abortion pill, and that they have a relationship with a doctor if and when complications do occur.