US President Joe Biden has signed an executive order on abortion to ease access to medical services for abortion and contraceptives after the Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organisation that eliminated the constitutional right to an abortion provided by Roe v Wade.
“We cannot allow an out-of-control Supreme Court, working with the extremist elements of the Republican Party, to take away freedoms and our personal autonomy,” he said on 8 July.
The executive order focuses on: protecting medical abortion access, guaranteeing emergency care, strengthening contraception access, providing state-specific resources and information, protecting patient data, and protecting clinics’ security, reports The Jurist.
The executive order seeks to protect medical abortion access by directing the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to continue to preserve access to abortions through prescription medication, and directs Secretary of Health and Human Services Xavier Becerra to create a report detailing options to further guarantee access.
The executive order also addresses guidance for physicians and hospitals under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labour Act, which requires that patients in a medical emergency get stabilising treatment. Updates to the guidance will assist physicians in states where abortions have been banned and who are worried about the legal ramifications after providing lifesaving medical abortions.
The third issue of the executive order is strengthening contraception access, in which the White House has instructed DHHS to protect access to contraception such as emergency contraception and intrauterine devices.
DHHS responded with additional funding for family-planning services and held a meeting with insurance companies to ensure contraceptive coverage will still be available under the Affordable Care Act.
The executive order also provides resources and information to women seeking an abortion by creating a website providing state-by-state guidance for access.
The executive order further protects patient data from prosecutors who will use tracking apps and internet search data to prosecute those who pursue abortions. DHHS released a guide on how to secure personal data when using mobile apps, and the Federal Trade Commission will weigh efforts to shield how personal data is used.
Finally, the executive order seeks to protect the security of abortion clinics that have been the site of anti-abortion demonstrations and have faced violent threats from “Republican extremists”.
While the executive order fails to include measures recommended by abortion advocates and Democratic lawmakers, like a commitment from the Department of Justice to get involved in lawsuits defending the right to abortion and the use of Medicaid resources to fund travel for those who need to cross state lines for an abortion, it has been recognised as an important first step toward combating the infringement of civil liberties.
See more from MedicalBrief archives:
Roe vs Wade: US abortion rights’ ruling could hurt women worldwide
Political, not legal, threat from US abortion row
US Supreme Court to decide on major abortion case