Today AUL and 57 Oklahoma state legislators filed an amicus brief before the Oklahoma Supreme Court supporting the state’s regulation of abortion-inducing drugs.
In 2011, the Oklahoma legislature enacted a measure regulating the provision of abortion-inducing drugs. The language is based on AUL’s “Abortion-Inducing Drugs Safety Act,” which requires that abortion providers administer the dangerous abortion drugs only in the way approved by the FDA. At least 8 women are known to have died following use of the drugs in an off-label, unapproved manner.
An abortion provider and abortion advocacy group immediately challenged the law in an Oklahoma state court. AUL provided in-depth assistance to the office of the Oklahoma Solicitor General as he defended the case in the state trial court. However, for the first time in the state’s history, the judge created a “right” to abortion under the state constitution, and struck the regulations.
The State appealed to the Oklahoma Supreme Court, which took the case and asked for the parties to fully brief the issues. AUL filed an amicus curiae brief advocating its own interests along with the interests of Oklahoma legislators, including the sponsors of the original bill (Senator Greg Treat and Representative Randy Grau), in protecting women from the dangers of off-label use of abortion-inducing drugs. Specifically, the brief details the evidence supporting the regulations that was ignored by the trial court, as well as demonstrates that the regulations do not in any way impose an undue burden on women seeking abortions.
The brief is available here.
