Okla. Judge Strikes Down Law That Restricted Drug-Induced Abortion
The court said the new law did not meet the state constitution's guarantee of "the fundamental rights of women to privacy and bodily integrity," the Tulsa World reports.
Politico Pro: Oklahoma Restrictions On Medical Abortion Struck Down
An Oklahoma judge struck down a state law Monday that effectively banned medically preferred methods for inducing abortions and pharmaceutical treatment of ectopic pregnancies. The ruling came in a case filed by the Center for Reproductive Rights that challenged state law that restricted off-label use of drugs for these purposes. Scientific researchers now believe there are off-label drug combinations that are more safe and effective than those currently listed on the label for the abortion-inducing drug RU-486 (Feder, 5/14).
Tulsa World: Oklahoma Court Finds HB1970 Abortion Law Unconstitutional
An Oklahoma County District Court has tossed out at a 2011 law that put restrictions on drugs used to induce abortions. The court found that House Bill 1970 is "an unconstitutional law in violation of the fundamental rights of women to privacy and bodily integrity," guaranteed by the Oklahoma Constitution, according to an order issued Friday (Hoberock, 5/15).
In related news -
NPR: Should Parents Be Able To Sue For 'Wrongful Birth'?
Several states, including Kansas and New Jersey, are debating so-called "wrongful birth" laws that would prevent parents from suing a doctor who fails to warn them about fetal problems. Abortion rights activists say the laws give doctors the right to withhold information so women don't have abortions (Lohr, 5/15).
The Kansas City Star: Kansas Governor Signs Another Abortion Bill
Gov. Sam Brownback has signed a bill into law that would allow pharmacists to refuse to provide drugs they believe might cause an abortion. Called the Heath Care Rights of Conscience Act, the new law would bar anyone from being required to prescribe or administer a drug they "reasonably believe" might result in the termination of a pregnancy. Critics believe the law will open the door for a pharmacist to refuse a request for something like the "morning-after" pill, which the Mayo Clinic says can prevent or delay ovulation, block fertilization or keep a fertilized egg from implanting in the uterus (Cooper, 5/14).
