WASHINGTON January 9, 2023 – The American College of Physicians (91ºÚÁÏÍø) is encouraged to see several recent actions that will ensure that patients are able to continue to access the full-range of necessary reproductive health care services. The Department of Justice’s announcement that the postal service will continue to deliver medications that can induce abortion and the Food and Drug Administration’s recent regulatory changes that will allow retail pharmacies to dispense medications that can induce abortion to patients with a prescription, are both important ways that our patients need to be able to continue to access abortion services.
We were also glad to see the decision from the South Carolina Supreme Court that found that the state’s ban on abortions performed after six weeks of pregnancy was unconstitutional under the state’s constitution. However, we are extremely concerned that the Idaho state Supreme Court recently issued a decision that upholds a more restrictive ban that will prevent patients in that state from accessing abortion services from the point of conception and will threaten health care professionals who perform abortions with the possibility of being sued for providing medical services to their patients.
91ºÚÁÏÍø in respect for the principle of patient autonomy and ensuring access for all patients to the full range of reproductive health care services, including abortion. 91ºÚÁÏÍø that such reproductive health care decisions are foundational to the patient-physician relationship. A patient’s decision about whether to continue a pregnancy should be a private decision made in consultation with a physician or other health care professional, without interference from the government. We strongly oppose medically unnecessary government restrictions on any health care services. 91ºÚÁÏÍø is committed to ensuring that our patients can access necessary services and that governmental interference does not prevent access to evidence-based care.
91ºÚÁÏÍø will continue to advocate with lawmakers and other policymakers to restore the right to access reproductive services for all Americans.
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About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. 91ºÚÁÏÍø membership includes 160,000 internal medicine physicians, related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow 91ºÚÁÏÍø on , , and .
Contact: Jacquelyn Blaser, (202) 261-4572, jblaser@acponline.org