N.Y. moves to shield abortion medication prescriptions after Louisiana indicts doctor

New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law on Monday that provides protection for the identities of doctors who prescribe abortion medications. This move comes in response to a recent case in which a New York doctor, Dr. Margaret Carpenter, was charged with prescribing abortion pills to a pregnant minor in Louisiana.

The new law allows doctors to request that their names be omitted from abortion pill bottles, with only the name of their health-care practice listed on medication labels instead. This measure aims to safeguard the privacy of doctors who provide abortion care.

The case involving Dr. Carpenter is significant as it marks the first instance of criminal charges against a doctor accused of sending abortion pills to another state since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022 with the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision.

Governor Hochul, a Democrat, made it clear that she would not approve an extradition request to send Dr. Carpenter to Louisiana. She emphasized the importance of protecting the privacy of healthcare providers who offer reproductive health services.

In addition to Dr. Carpenter, the mother of the pregnant minor was also charged in connection with the case. Prosecutors in Louisiana revealed that the girl experienced a medical emergency after taking the medication and had to be hospitalized. The investigation into the incident led to the discovery that a doctor in New York had supplied the abortion pills.

District Attorney Tony Clayton, the prosecutor handling the case in Louisiana, stated that the arrest warrant for Dr. Carpenter is nationwide, indicating that she could face arrest in states with stringent anti-abortion laws.

Louisiana has a near-total abortion ban, with severe penalties for physicians convicted of performing abortions, including those involving medication. Governor Hochul expressed her commitment to advocating for legislation that would require pharmacists to respect doctors’ requests to keep their names off prescription labels.

The use of abortion pills, such as mifepristone and misoprostol, has become increasingly common in the U.S. Pills accounted for 63% of all known abortions in the country in 2023. The Supreme Court’s decision in 2024 rejected a case challenging FDA regulations that expanded access to medication abortions, allowing for prescriptions to be filled under a medical practice’s name.

Reproductive rights groups have condemned the indictment of Dr. Carpenter in Louisiana, emphasizing the importance of ensuring access to essential healthcare services without interference from anti-abortion extremists. The battle over abortion rights continues to be a contentious issue, with ongoing legal and political challenges shaping the landscape of reproductive healthcare in the U.S.