ABOVE: Kristan Hawkins, president of the pro-life group Students for Life in America, appeared on the Friday afternoon edition of CBN's Newswatch to talk about the risks involved with not requiring doctor's visits before receiving abortion pills. Newswatch is seen weekdays on the CBN News Channel.
Women will now have access to an abortion pill by mail or delivery, even though they haven't seen a doctor.
A federal judge in Maryland on Monday suspended an order that required women to see a physician at a medical office or in the hospital to obtain the "at-home" abortion option during the COVID-19 pandemic.
US District Judge Theodore Chuang said, "in-person requirements" for patients seeking a chemical abortion imposes a "substantial obstacle" and is likely unconstitutional under the current COVID-19 restrictions.
"Particularly in light of the limited timeframe during which a medication abortion or any abortion must occur, such infringement on the right to an abortion would constitute irreparable harm," Chuang wrote.
He added, "Although the need to counsel patients is an important interest, the evidence in the record supports the conclusion that with personal counseling now occurring through telemedicine, the requirement is not actually necessary to meet this interest."
Kristan Hawkins, president of the pro-life organization, Students for Life of America, said the purpose for a doctor visit prior to taking the abortion pill is to screen women for any possible risks.
"For the about 5 percent of women whose babies are not killed and expelled by the drugs, a surgery is required basically to save the woman's life as infection can set in if the dead infant or tissue remains in a woman's womb to fester," Hawkins said.
"Here we are again with a single judge deciding that it's acceptable to endanger women's health and lives as well as their present and future children as long as it wasn't hard to make the sale," she added.
BREAKING NEWS:
A judge in Maryland has ruled that women can get an abortion pill without a doctor visit citing the pandemic.
COVID or not... this is wrong.
So much for abortion should be between a woman and her doctor.
— Kristan Hawkins (@KristanHawkins) July 13, 2020
Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List explained that the Food and Drug Administration regulations are necessary to protect women and should not be overridden.
"The current FDA regulations are reasonable and necessary to protect women from serious and potentially life-threatening complications of abortion drugs, including intense pain, heavy bleeding, infection, and even death," Dannenfelser said.
"We are extremely disappointed to see the courts once again side with the big abortion industry against women," she added. "Abortion activists exploiting the COVID-19 pandemic to push their long-sought goal of expanding dangerous chemical abortion drugs have proven over and over that they will prioritize profits at the expense of health and safety."
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