A new proposed legislation in New York could make it easier for those seeking the abortion pill by allowing pharmacists to provide non-patient specific prescriptions.
The abortion pill can be taken up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy, according to the FDA. The proposed legislation would broaden the availability of abortion pill providers, allowing for easier access to the medication.
However, the legislation has been met with criticism from opponents who claim that it would distance a woman from her healthcare provider and disrupt the ethical medical care flow.
Jim Harden, CEO of Compass Care pregnancy centers, stated that the proposed legislation would be dangerous for women. “A woman is 500% more likely to end up in the emergency room, one in 10 women will go to the emergency room after starting the chemical abortion process,” he said.
Furthermore, Harden noted that women can experience sepsis and future infertility as a result of taking the abortion pill.
On the other hand, Assemblywoman Amy Paulin, sponsor of the legislation, argues that the proposed legislation would not pose any danger to women. “This is even a more direct relationship with a healthcare provider, the pharmacist, who can direct a patient if there was any kind of occurrence,” she explained.
In November, a group of physicians filed a lawsuit against the FDA, asking them to reverse their approval of Mifepristone, one of the two drugs used in chemical abortions. Harden noted that the outcome of this lawsuit could be more impactful than the reversal of Roe V. Wade, as more than 600,000 chemical abortions take place every year.
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