WASHINGTON, D.C. (08-30-13) – Americans United for Life applauded the Iowa Board of Medicine for approving a rule dealing with chemical abortion submitted by 14 Iowa medical professionals. The rule addressed the increasing problem of administering dangerous chemical abortion drugs with minimal medical supervision.
“The abortion industry has been pushing dangerous life-ending drugs with minimal medical involvement in order to maximize high profits. But in Iowa, medical professionals stood up for commonsense against a brazen and reckless industry,” said AUL President and CEO Dr. Charmaine Yoest. “Given the life and death issues at stake, AUL was proud to testify in favor of their efforts.”
The Iowa rule would first require a physician to physically examine the woman and document in her medical record the age and location of the pregnancy, because there are dangers involved with giving life-ending drugs to women with later pregnancies or experiencing ectopic pregnancies. In fact, two women in the United States are reported to have died from ruptured ectopic pregnancies after utilizing the Mifeprex (RU-486) regimen. The rule also requires the physician to be present when the drugs are provided and instructs the physician to schedule a follow-up appointment with the woman in order to evaluate her health post-abortion.
“These life-ending drugs are dangerous and the profit motive of Big Abortion is endangering women,” noted Dr. Yoest. “Pushing these drugs with little supervision is irresponsible.”
The Board of Medicine’s action came in response to a petition for rulemaking by Iowa medical professionals concerned about the 2010 revelation that Planned Parenthood clinics in Iowa were dispensing dangerous chemical abortions (commonly referred to as RU-486) to women without direct physician supervision. Instead, Planned Parenthood has the women “consult” with a physician through a teleconference or Skype-type interview. Termed a “telemed abortion,” the physician may not be in the same locale. Based upon an initial examination by someone other than the doctor and that brief conversation on-line, the woman is given the drugs. This is not only dangerous for women, it is contrary to the safety guidelines put in place by the FDA. The Board’s action came after careful consideration of the facts and a period of public comment.
The rule now moves to the Administrative Rules Review Committee of the Iowa General Assembly for review.
