Indiana is headed to court over a new law that requires doctors to tell patients about a so-called “abortion reversal” procedure that major medical organizations call “unproven and unethical.”
Medication-induced abortions require pregnant people to take two pills, at separate times. Anti-abortion advocates promote a procedure that, in the middle of the process, purports to “reverse” the abortion. There’s only anecdotal evidence of its success; no widely accepted study has confirmed its safety and effectiveness.
But Hoosier doctors must now tell patients about the procedure under new Indiana law, HB 1577. And a group of health care providers, including All-Options pregnancy resource center, Whole Woman’s Health Alliance and Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai‘i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky, are suing to stop what they call the “reckless” law from taking effect.
READ MORE: Holcomb Signs Anti-Abortion Bill, Setting Stage For Lawsuit
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Proponents of the measure say anecdotal success of abortion reversal procedures is reason enough to ensure patients receive as much information as possible before making a decision about their abortion.
ACLU of Indiana Legal Director Ken Falk, who is helping represent the providers, said they warned lawmakers the legislation is unconstitutional. Similar measures have been struck down in other states. Falk said the General Assembly and the governor “put politics ahead of women’s health.”
The state has been sued nine times over the last decade following passage of anti-abortion legislation. Courts have delivered at least preliminary defeats for Indiana in the vast majority of those cases.
Contact reporter Brandon at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.
