Telehealth clinics still offering abortion pills to people outside their states

Telehealth abortion clinics have shared that they are still offering pills to people outside of their states, following the Supreme Court overturn of the Roe v. Wade ruling, Business Insider has shared. 13 states have trigger laws entering effect that will ban all, or nearly all, abortions. This includes medication abortions.

There is a lack of clarity on bans on abortion pills, as the medications are federally approved. In a statement on Friday, Attorney General Merrick Garland said “states may not ban mifepristone based on disagreement with the FDA’s expert judgment about its safety and efficacy.”

Mifepristone, also known as RU 486, is used to cause an abortion during the early part of a pregnancy.

Patients can order abortion pills online from telehealth providers such as Just The Pill, and Choix, and are able to have them sent to their home in states where doing so is legal.

“Just The Pill will be providing care to people who are able to travel to safe states,” said Dr Julie Amaon, medical director of Just The Pill and its program, Abortion Delivered, to Business Insider. She added: “So if your state of residence bans access to medication abortion, you can travel to another safe state to have a telehealth appointment.”

Patients will therefore be able to pick up medication at mobile clinics, or alternatively can have medication mailed to a location in a safe state.

Telehealth companies are able to prescribe medication to trigger abortions, in which patients can get their pills sent in the mail following an online video consultation with a medical practitioner. Last year, the decision was made by the FDA that abortion pills can be posted, rather than collected in person.

“Just like any type of telehealth care providers, patients don't have to show proof of residency to get a birth control prescription or a Viagra prescription,” said Cindy Adam, Choix co-founder, quoted by Business Insider. “So we don't want to require that of our patients either.”