We’re reporting on how state abortion laws are affecting everyday Americans’ health care. We want to hear from you if either of the following applies to you or someone you know:
1) Have you had trouble filling prescriptions unrelated to abortion, such as medications for acne or rheumatoid arthritis?
The Biden administration has warned pharmacies that refusing to fill prescriptions for abortion and birth control pills — regardless of state law — could violate federal civil rights laws protecting pregnant people.
But there have also been reports of pharmacies refusing to fill prescriptions for medications completely unrelated to abortion and contraception that they speculate could be used off-label to terminate a pregnancy. For example, the cancer drug methotrexate is also used by 90 percent of rheumatoid arthritis patients at some point, according to the Arthritis Foundation, but it can also be prescribed to induce abortions. And Accutane, the popular acne drug, can cause severe birth defects and miscarriage.
With the legality of abortion changing in some states by the week as court battles play out, medical providers are grappling with the reality that they could face criminal charges if something like acne medication ends up terminating a pregnancy — creating delays in treatment for patients who aren’t seeking abortions.
2) Have you been denied emergency treatment for a miscarriage or pregnancy-related complication?
The Biden administration has also warned hospitals that failing to treat a patient in a medical emergency, such as a miscarriage or a life-threatening complication necessitating an abortion, violates federal law — even in states that have banned the procedure.
Have you been denied medical care because a medical provider suspected you were pregnant or could become pregnant? Are you a medical professional who has witnessed a patient being denied care due to someone’s personal beliefs about abortion or concerns about running afoul of state abortion bans?
We want to hear from you. Please fill out our brief survey below.
Your privacy is important to us. We will not publish your name, contact information or anything you tell us without first reaching out to you and getting your permission.
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By: Erin Smith, Alice Miranda Ollstein and Megan Messerly
Title: How are abortion laws affecting your access to health care? We want to hear from you.
Sourced From: www.politico.com/news/2022/08/16/abortion-laws-affecting-health-care-access-00051900
Published Date: Tue, 16 Aug 2022 04:30:00 EST
