Current:Home > StocksLouisiana’s new law on abortion drugs establishes risky treatment delays, lawsuit claims-LoTradeCoin
Louisiana’s new law on abortion drugs establishes risky treatment delays, lawsuit claims
View Date:2024-12-23 21:16:29
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana’s new law categorizing two widely used abortion drugs as “controlled dangerous substances” was challenged in a state court lawsuit Thursday by a physician, a pharmacist and others who say the legislation sets up needless, dangerous delays in treatment during medical emergencies.
Although there already was a near-total abortion ban in Louisiana, including by medication, the reclassification of the drugs — mifepristone and misoprostol, which have other critical reproductive health care uses — went into effect earlier this month. Proponents of the law said more oversight and control over the drugs was needed to prevent coerced abortions. They have used as an example a Texas case in which a pregnant woman was given seven misoprostol pills by her husband without her knowledge. The baby survived.
Doctors critical of the law have said it could harm patients facing emergency complications such as postpartum hemorrhages by requiring medical personnel to go through extra steps and more stringent storage requirements to use the drugs.
“Even short delays in accessing misoprostol can be life-threatening for postpartum hemorrhage patients,” says the lawsuit. It says the law violates the Louisiana Constitution in multiple ways, including a prohibition on discrimination based on a person’s physical condition.
Louisiana Attorney General Elizabeth Murrill said she had not seen the lawsuit as of Thursday afternoon. “I can’t respond to a lawsuit we have not seen, but I’m confident this law is constitutional,” she said in a statement. “We will vigorously defend it.”
In addition to the physician and the pharmacist, who the lawsuit says is pregnant, the plaintiffs in the case include the Birthmark Doula Collective, an organization of people trained to provide pregnancy care before, during and after birth.
Other plaintiffs include Nancy Davis, a woman who was denied an abortion in Louisiana and traveled out of state for one after learning her fetus would not survive. A woman who said she was turned away from two emergency rooms instead of being treated for a miscarriage is also part of the lawsuit.
Prior to the reclassification, a prescription was still needed to obtain mifepristone and misoprostol in Louisiana. The new law reclassified the pills as “Schedule IV drugs,” putting them in the same category as the opioid tramadol and other substances that can be addictive.
The new classification means that if someone knowingly possesses mifepristone or misoprostol without a valid prescription for any purpose, they could be fined up to $5,000 and sent to jail for one to five years.
The law carves out protections for pregnant women who obtain the drug without a prescription to take on their own.
The legislation is a first-of-its-kind law in the U.S. While GOP Gov. Jeff Landry, many Republican lawmakers and anti-abortion groups have touted the new classification, doctors have warned of deadly delays that the law could cause.
Under the new classification, doctors say there are extra steps and more stringent storage requirements, which could slow access to the drugs in emergency situations. Beyond inducing abortions, the pills are also used to treat miscarriages, induce labor and stop hemorrhaging.
Prior to the law, some doctors said that misoprostol would be stored in a box in the hospital room, on the delivery table or in a nurse’s pocket. But under the new requirements of the classification, the drugs may be down the hall in a locked container or potentially in-house pharmacy at smaller hospitals.
___
McGill reported from New Orleans.
veryGood! (73)
Related
- Skiing legend Lindsey Vonn ends retirement, plans to return to competition
- Shocking video shows lightning strike near a police officer's cruiser in Illinois
- Massachusetts Senate approved bill intended to strengthen health care system
- Yoga, meditation and prayer: Urban transit workers cope with violence and fear on the job
- McDonald's Version: New Bestie Bundle meals celebrate Swiftie friendship bracelets
- FACT FOCUS: Heritage Foundation leader wrong to say most political violence is committed by the left
- Accused of biting police official, NYC Council member says police were the aggressors
- Cute Sandals Alert! Shop the Deals at Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale 2024 & Save on Kenneth Cole & More
- Brian Kelly asks question we're all wondering after Alabama whips LSU, but how to answer?
- Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announces trade mission to Europe
Ranking
- New York nursing home operator accused of neglect settles with state for $45M
- Lara Trump says Americans may see a different version of Donald Trump in speech tonight
- Federal appeals court blocks remainder of Biden’s student debt relief plan
- How many points did Bronny James score tonight? Lakers Summer League box score
- Who is Rep. Matt Gaetz, the Florida congressman Donald Trump picked to serve as attorney general?
- The Daily Money: Immigrants and the economy
- 'Love Island USA' complete guide: How to watch, finale date, must-know terminology
- Appeals courts are still blocking Biden’s efforts to expand LGBTQ+ protections under Title IX
Recommendation
-
2 Florida women charged after shooting death of photographer is livestreamed
-
Jury returns mixed verdict in slaying of Detroit synagogue leader Samantha Woll
-
Canadians say they're worried a U.S. company may be emitting toxic gas into their community
-
Major League Soccer hopes new roster rules allow teams to sign more star talent
-
Trading wands for whisks, new Harry Potter cooking show brings mess and magic
-
How Olympic Gymnast Jade Carey Overcomes Frustrating Battle With Twisties
-
TNT honors Shannen Doherty with 'Charmed' marathon celebrating the 'best of Prue'
-
University of California regents ban political statements on university online homepages