Local advocates for reproductive rights say the series of federal court rulings in recent days over access to the abortion pill mifepristone is causing whiplash for those seeking care.
Last week, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that mifepristone could only be prescribed through in-person doctor visits and at clinics. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked that ruling.
A spokesperson from Planned Parenthood of Northern New England said the series of rulings has had real consequences in people’s lives. The organization had planned on providing patients in New Hampshire another abortion medication — misoprostol — as a way for their patients to keep telehealth access to abortion.
“This type of medication abortion has been used successfully for many years in other parts of the world where access to mifepristone is restricted.” Nicole Clegg, President and CEO of PPNNE said in a statement.
Taylor St. Germain, interim co-executive director of Reproductive Equity Now New Hampshire, said without access to mifepristone, patients in rural areas could be particularly hurt, given more limited access to in-patient care in those regions.
“We know that this is a huge hurdle to being able to access care if they're not able to receive it via telehealth that will limit the ways that people are able to effectively access their health care, in-patient care,” she said.
St. Germain said with Monday’s temporary reversal of the circuit court’s ruling, patients in New Hampshire can still receive mifepristone by mail.
