Dear John,

The U.S. Supreme Court will issue an opinion in the June Medical Services v. Russo case any day now and determine whether Louisiana’s admitting privileges law may go into effect.

The outcome of this case could potentially impact abortion access across the U.S. and galvanize the passage of more medically unnecessary laws. Check our brief explainer for an overview of the case.

Our Fellow Dr. Pooja Mehta, an ob/gyn in Louisiana, spoke to Good Morning America about why, because of abortion care’s enviable safety record, requiring admitting privileges for abortion care is medically unnecessary.

She said, “There is no science that suggests that require[sic] admitting privileges makes abortion safer.” These obstacles are an “added step that is not necessary for good care.”

People already facing the most obstacles to accessing care—people of color, young people, LGBTQIA people, immigrant communities, and rural communities—will be disproportionately impacted if these restrictions are upheld.

These inherently racist, anti-abortion laws only perpetuate the systemic racism in our health care system and further deny a person’s ability to access the health care they need.

No matter the ruling, our physician advocates remain committed to using their voices to stop attacks on abortion while also speaking out against racism and disparities in our health care system.

Thank you for being a part of this ongoing work.

Jennifer Blasdell
VP, Policy & Strategic Partnerships