On May 5th, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a bill making pharmaceutical abortion drugs a criminal offense if prescribed online or provided through delivery services. House Bill 2416 (HB2416), referred to as the Tennessee Abortion-Inducing Drug Risk Protocol Act, specifies criminal penalties for culprits. The very same penalties would not apply to the client offered the abortion drugs.
According to HB2416, the drugs “may be provided only by a qualified physician.” The bill also notes that a “manufacturer, supplier, pharmacy, physician, qualified physician, or other person may not provide an abortion-inducing drug via courier, delivery, or mail service.”
The bill further states that a “qualified physician providing an abortion-inducing drug shall examine the patient in person and, prior to providing an abortion-inducing drug.” According to the bill, the thinking is to avoid the threats brought on by taking the drug during an ectopic pregnancy, which could be deadly to the client.
The expense requires a follow-up visit and assessment by the doctor within 7 to 2 weeks after the patient is administered the medication.
The expense needs the patient to sign an educated consent after the supplier explains the dangers and possible experiences that accompany a pharmaceutical abortion. This includes the possibility of death for the client and understanding the patient may see part or all of the coming kid’s remains.
The bill also specifies that no abortifacient drug may be supplied in or around primary, secondary, or post-secondary school centers within the state.
Finally, “an individual who intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly violates this bill commits a Class E felony and, upon conviction, will be fined an amount not to exceed $50,000, be imprisoned for a term not to exceed 20 years, or both.”
The expense specifies that criminal charges will not be leveled against the patient.
According to a research study at the Guttmacher Institute, Mifepristone, the primary drug used in medication abortion, now represents a lot of U.S. abortions. In 2020, medication abortion represented 54% of the nation’s overall abortions.
Medication abortion is only usable up until the tenth week of the gestational period.
Tennessee is among 13 states with “trigger laws” that would go into result should the Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade be overturned. The 1973 ruling in Roe guaranteed legal and safe access to abortion in all 50 states. Nevertheless, that judgment faces a possible turnaround.
Late Monday, a leaked file from Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito showed that the country’s highest court was set to overturn the landmark 1973 case that solidified abortion access in the United States.
H/T Timcast
