At the time that I practiced medicine in Ohio, we were required by law to use the FDA regimen for medication abortion that was in place. Not only was it costly, because the patient had to take three mifepristone pills instead of one, but it also required patients to come to the clinic for four appointments, and take the misoprostol in our office rather than in the comfort of their home.

This law did nothing to make abortion safer—all it did was limit access to safe medication abortion. It made it particularly difficult for patients that traveled here from Kentucky or West Virginia. It is so much more humane for the patients to be able to go home with their misoprostol and use it at a time when it is comfortable for them rather than to be mandated by a law to take the medication in the clinic.