Planned Parenthood sues Ohio over ban on telemedicine abortion

Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) filed a lawsuit on April 1 against the Ohio Department of Health in an attempt to stop a new pro-life law from taking effect as planned on April 12. Along with PPFA, two Ohio Planned Parenthood affiliates joined in the lawsuit over the state’s ban on telemedicine abortion, which will prevent abortionists from using telemedicine to dispense the abortion pill to women.

“We’re taking them to court to make sure that our patients can access medication abortion — a safe, effective, and vital part of reproductive health — without the added burdens of travel and time,” said Iris E. Harvey, president and CEO of Planned of Greater Ohio.

The lawsuit asks the court to immediately block the law with the issuance of a temporary restraining order or an injunction, as well as to declare the law is in violation of several sections of the Ohio Constitution.

1st Trimester Medical Abortion: Abortion Pills

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed SB 260 into law in January, requiring a physician to be present when the first of the two drugs in the abortion pill regimen is administered to a woman, as required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Failure to abide by the law could result in a fourth-degree felony. Repeated violations could result in the suspension of the offending physician’s medical license.

READ: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signs state telemedicine abortion ban

According to the FDA, at least 24 known women have died from complications associated with the abortion pill. The FDA’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) restrictions placed on the abortion pill (mifepristone) ensured that a woman seeking the abortion pill is examined prior to taking it to rule out potential additional risks, including ectopic pregnancy and Rh status, as well as to accurately date her pregnancy as complications and failure rate from the abortion pill increases with gestational age. An in-person visit also helps to protect women from coerced abortion.

However, after the COVID-19 pandemic began, the abortion industry began to promote telemedicine, expanding its sales of the abortion pill. The REMS safety protocol was suspended during the pandemic to allow for remote distribution of the abortion pill. During the pandemic in the UK when the abortion pill was allowed by mail, at least two known women died.

Research has shown that complications from the abortion pill are severely underreported, and the abortion industry touts the abortion pill as safe. However, the abortion pill has actually been found to be four times more dangerous than first-trimester surgical abortion. Women who have taken it have reported “nightmare” complications including hemorrhaging, vomiting, incomplete abortions followed by additional surgical abortions, and the trauma of seeing the bodies of their aborted children.

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