Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union on Monday lamented a federal court’s decision to uphold a specific drug protocol in Texas that limits doctors’ use of abortion medications.
Cecile Richards, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said she was pleased with the victory for clinic access, but said the court failed to protect women’s access to abortion medications.
“Today’s ruling marks an important victory for Texas women and sends a clear message to lawmakers: it is unconstitutional for politicians to pass laws that take personal, private decisions away from women and their doctors,” Richards said in a statement provided to TPM. “While this ruling protects access to safe and legal abortion for women in many parts of the state, part of this ruling will make it impossible for many women to access medication abortion, which is safe and effective early in pregnancy.”
Louise Melling, deputy legal director at the ACLU, said that inability to access abortion medications could force doctors to use less safe abortions methods.
“We are disappointed by the ruling on the medication abortion restriction, which ignores accepted medical practice and will force providers to use less safe methods,” Melling said in a statement.
