Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Trump States He Will Not Block Access To Abortion Pills
Axios: Trump Commits To Protecting Abortion Pill Access
President-elect Trump told Time magazine he will ensure the FDA will not block access to abortion pills on his watch, the first time he has made such a commitment. Medication abortions account for nearly two-thirds of all abortions nationwide. Anti-abortion groups and some Trump allies see limiting access to abortion pill mifepristone as a top priority in the new term — but, for now at least, Trump does not. (Lawler and Bettelheim, 12/12)
CNN: Hardline Activist Who Raised The Idea Of Jailing Women For Abortions Gets Top Policy Job In Trump Administration
President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Ed Martin, a hardline, socially conservative activist and commentator, to serve as the next chief of staff at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). As CNN first reported in July, Martin has publicly advocated for a national abortion ban without exceptions for rape or incest and has raised imposing criminal penalties on women and doctors involved in abortions. ... The OMB plays a key role in shaping the president’s economic and legislative agenda by reviewing funding proposals and ensuring they align with the administration’s policy priorities. Martin’s role at OMB could have a potential impact on how federal funds are allocated for programs related to women’s health or reproductive rights. (Kaczynski and Steck, 12/12)
More abortion news from South Carolina, Alaska, and elsewhere —
HuffPost: South Carolina Republicans Set To Reintroduce Bill Allowing Death Penalty For Abortions
A handful of South Carolina Republicans plan to reintroduce a bill that would define abortion as homicide — a crime punishable by death under state law. State Rep. Rob Harris (R) pre-filed the South Carolina Prenatal Equal Protection Act earlier this month, and it will be introduced in the judiciary committee when the legislative session begins in January. The proposed bill seeks to amend the state’s criminal code to widen the definition of “person” to include “an unborn child at any stage of development.” (Vagianos, 12/12)
Juneau Empire: Planned Parenthood In Juneau Closes, Making Anchorage — 850 Miles Away — The Nearest Location For Abortion Access
Planned Parenthood’s clinic in Juneau has closed due to what the organization calls a need to consolidate resources in the region to ensure ongoing operations. ... Alix Curtain, a former clinician at the Juneau Planned Parenthood who now owns the nearby Juneau Women’s Health clinic that opened in the fall of 2023, said Thursday the closure means the closest abortion services for people in Southeast Alaska is Anchorage, about 850 miles away. (Sabbatini, 12/12)
The Guardian: As Funding Dries Up, Private Abortion Clinics Across The US Are Closing
Over the last year, 11 independent abortion clinics closed, bringing the nationwide total of brick-and-mortar indie clinics in the US to 363, according to a report released on Tuesday morning by the Abortion Care Network (ACN), a network of independent providers. That’s down from more than 500 in 2012. (Sherman, 12/11)
Also —
ProPublica: A Coast Guard Commander Miscarried. She Nearly Died After Being Denied Care.
The night the EMTs carried Elizabeth Nakagawa from her home, bleeding and in pain, the tarp they’d wrapped her in reminded her of a body bag. Nakagawa, 39, is a Coast Guard commander: stoic, methodical, an engineer by trade. But as they maneuvered her past her young daughters’ bedroom, down the narrow steps and into the ambulance, she felt a stab of fear. She might never see her girls again. Then came a blast of anger. She’d been treated for a miscarriage before. She knew her life never should have been in danger. (Edwards and Fields, 12/13)
