Medication Abortion, Telemedicine, and Dobbs—Key Considerations for Healthcare Providers

Summary

The Supreme Court's recent decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, 2022 U.S. LEXIS 3057 (S. Ct. June 24, 2022), has impacted access to abortion in the United States. In light of the Court's decision, which returned the right to enact laws regarding reproductive healthcare to the states, many healthcare providers are navigating available ways to provide abortion services to patients, including by utilizing innovative telemedicine care modalities. Healthcare providers must comply with multiple and sometimes conflicting state laws when providing abortion-related services utilizing telemedicine. This article will address several issues that healthcare providers should consider relating to prescribing abortion-inducing medication utilizing telemedicine modalities. This article will highlight several states' laws to examine relevant legal and practical considerations for providers interested in providing medication abortions via telemedicine.