Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CVS Starts Validating Prescriptions For Pills That Can End Pregnancy
AP: CVS Seeks Verification On Drugs With Possible Abortion Use
CVS Health is asking pharmacists in some states to verify that a few of the prescriptions they provide will not be used end a pregnancy. A spokesman said Thursday that the drugstore chain recently started doing this for methotrexate and misoprostol, two drugs used in medication abortions but also to treat other conditions. (Murphy, 7/21)
Bloomberg Law: Georgia’s Heartbeat Abortion Ban Tests FDA Limits On Pill Access
Georgia’s revived abortion law puts a new strain on people turning to medication to end pregnancies and adds to an ongoing battle over the boundaries between states and the federal government. The Eleventh Circuit’s decision to let Georgia ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected creates a thorny situation for people relying on mifepristone—a drug long ago approved by the Food and Drug Administration to terminate pregnancies up to 10 weeks. Many Georgians are now effectively blocked from using the drug after the sixth week of pregnancy, even though that time frame is allowed under FDA regulation, attorneys say. (Lopez and Castronuovo, 7/21)
KHN: Three Things About The Abortion Debate That Many People Get Wrong
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the federal right to abortion, things are more than a little confused. As lower courts grapple with rapidly changing state laws, patients wonder from day to day if abortion is still legal and, even if legal, whether it is still available in their state. Health professionals in states with abortion bans fear prosecution by state authorities for performing abortions or by federal authorities for not performing them in life- or health-threatening situations. (Rovner, 7/22)
On Google/YouTube's moves against abortion misinformation —
NBC News: YouTube To Remove Videos With Instructions For Unsafe Abortions
YouTube said Thursday it would take a tougher line on abortion-related misinformation, as the video app and other social media platforms become a battleground for debates over abortion access. The Google-owned platform said it would start removing videos and other content with instructions for unsafe abortion methods or with false claims about abortion safety. (Ingram, 7/21)
AP: GOP AGs Ask Google Not To Limit Anti-Abortion Center Results
A month after some members of Congress urged Google to limit the appearance of anti-abortion pregnancy centers in certain abortion-related search results, 17 Republican attorneys general are warning the company that doing so could invite investigations and possible legal action. (Rankin, 7/21)
Also —
AP: AP-NORC Poll: Majority In US Want Legal Abortion Nationally
A majority of Americans say Congress should pass a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide, according to a new poll that finds over half say they feel at least somewhat “sad” or “angry” about the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. (Fingerhut, 7/21)
Newsweek: Democrats Propose Travel Grants For Those Seeking Out-Of-State Abortions
Democratic lawmakers have introduced a bill that would provide grants for those who need to travel out of state for an abortion. The Reproductive Health Travel Fund Act is the latest endeavor by Democrats to mitigate the impact of the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade. (Rahman, 7/21)
The Hill: Progressives Urge Delivery Companies To Protect Access To Abortion Meds
Several House progressives on Wednesday urged delivery companies FedEx, UPS and DHL to protect the private data of customers amid concerns that lawmakers in anti-abortion states will seek to access information about women who purchase abortion medication. (Dress, 7/21)
