Podcast: Don’t be Fooled by CPCs

This week I participated in the RH Reality Check podcast Reality Cast discussing the deceptive tactics utilized by Crisis Pregnancy Centers to dissuade women from obtaining abortion care.

>Listen to the podcast.
>Learn more about Crisis Pregnancy Centers.

Disciplinary Action Upheld Against Pharmacist who Refused to Fill Birth Control Prescription

Tuesday the 3rd District Court of Appeals upheld the decision of the Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining Board to reprimand and limit the license of a pharmacist who refused to refill a woman's valid prescription for birth control pills in 2002, because of his religious beliefs. The appellate court ruled that while the pharmacist had the right to refuse to provide contraceptives, he was wrong in refusing to direct the woman to a place where she could get her prescription filled.

Additionally, pharmacist Neil Noesen interfered with the woman's efforts to obtain her birth control by refusing to transfer the prescription to another pharmacy.

"He prevented all the efforts (the woman) made to obtain her medication elsewhere when he refused to complete the transfer and gave her no options for obtaining her legally prescribed medication elsewhere," the appellate court ruled in a decision written by Judge Michael Hoover. "The Board could therefore properly conclude that he violated a standard of care applicable to pharmacists."

Supreme Court Declines to Review Arizona Prison’s Abortion Policy

Yesterday the United States Supreme Court rejected an appeal from an Arizona county sheriff in a case concerning abortion rights for incarcerated women.

The case involves a Maricopa County Jail policy, which only permitted prison officials to transport women seeking abortion care if they had obtained a court order, even though prisoners are regularly transported without a court order for all other necessary medical care.

In May 2004, a pregnant inmate, represented by the ACLU, challenged the prison’s policy. In August 2005, the Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County struck down the jail’s policy and held that it violated women’s reproductive rights and served "no legitimate penological purpose." In January 2007, the Arizona Court of Appeals upheld that decision, and in September of last year the Arizona Supreme Court refused to review the case.

"Today’s announcement puts an end to Maricopa County prison officials’ blatant disregard of the law and failure to ensure that prisoners get the health care they need," said Alessandra Soler Meetze, Executive Director of the ACLU of Arizona. "It’s the end of the road for Sheriff Arpaio’s campaign against reproductive freedom."

New York Times Raises Concerns About Justice Department Nominee

Today, The New York Times published an editorial, which expressed concerns over the nomination of Grace C. Becker to the position of Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Civil Rights Division is responsible for overseeing the enforcement of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act. This law is vital in protecting abortion providers and women seeking reproductive health care services from violence and threats of violence.

Anti-Abortion Billboards Mislead Canadian Women

Although several cities across Canada have pulled controversial anti-abortion ads, a misleading billboard remains in London, ON. This billboard is part of a national anti-abortion ad campaign, which features misinformation about abortion and unsubstantiated claims.

In response to media coverage of the billboard, I wrote a letter to the editor of The London Free Press.

Take Action: Show Your Appreciation for Abortion Providers

Today is the National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers. Show your support for the health care professionals who dedicate their lives to providing women with safe abortion care, by signing NAF’s petition to let them know how much you appreciate their commitment to reproductive freedom.

>View my guest blog celebrating abortion providers.

Case Against Over-the-Counter Plan B Sales Dismissed

This week the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia dismissed a lawsuit, which challenged the FDA’s approval of Plan B (also known as emergency contraception) for over-the-counter sales to adults. After years of politically-charged debate, the FDA made Plan B available without a prescription in August 2007, but only for adults.

Anti-choice groups were seeking a reversal of this policy, but they failed "to identify a single individual who has been harmed by Plan B's OTC (over-the-counter) availability," according to the ruling.

In a separate case, the Center for Reproductive Rights is also challenging the FDA’s policy concerning over-the-counter access to Plan B; however, their case argues that restricting the drug for girls under 18 was based on politics and not science.

Grand Jury Refuses to Indict Kansas Clinic

Yesterday, a grand jury refused to issue an indictment against a Kansas Planned Parenthood clinic concerning allegations of parental notice and informed consent violations.

"We are once again vindicated, as we have been any time there is an objective review of these allegations," said Peter Brownlie, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri. "The jury investigated all of the allegations that were in the petition that resulted in the grand jury being formed, and they found no evidence of any wrongdoing."

Normally, a prosecutor would decide when to convene a grand jury, but Kansas is one of just six states that allow citizen-petitioned grand juries. Abortion opponents in Kansas have recently used this law to impanel grand juries against two abortion providers in their state.