On Tuesday, the United States Supreme Court announced that it would not review the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision in support of an Arkansas law banning the use of medication abortion in the state.
In response, Dr. Stephanie Ho, a Fellow with Physicians for Reproductive Health and a family medicine physician in Arkansas, issued the following statement:
“As a doctor who has dedicated my career to serving the people of Arkansas, I am outraged that the Supreme Court has declined to review this dangerous law. Accessing abortion in Arkansas was already a struggle for many patients, and it is now even harder to come by: with this law in place, we are the only state in the country with a ban on medication abortion, and we have joined the list of states where there is only one clinic where patients can access abortion care. For many patients—particularly those who are young, low-income, living in rural areas, or people of color—being forced to travel hundreds of miles is a serious, even insurmountable barrier. My patients deserve to get the care they need without politicians’ interference.”