In the near future, I intend to introduce a legislative package regarding chemical abortions in this Commonwealth. My bills do not ban chemical abortions. Rather, they will provide increased protection for pregnant mothers and ensure that biohazardous waste is minimized in our waterway systems.

As the Pennsylvania Department of Health has reported, medical abortions – otherwise known as chemical abortions – accounted for over 56% of all abortions performed in the Commonwealth in 2023. In the years following the Covid-19 pandemic, the prevalence of telehealth has normalized the practice of physicians prescribing medical abortions to mothers they have never physically examined or even met with in person. While telehealth technology can certainly prove beneficial and even essential in certain circumstances, pregnant mothers deserve better treatment than undergoing abortions alone without the supportive presence of a healthcare provider. 

As the Commonwealth’s Abortion Control Act has not been substantively updated since the early 1990s, it does not adequately address the increased use of chemical abortions over surgical abortions. Telehealth services cannot adequately address medical complications that may occur to the pregnant woman who takes the abortion pills.

I hope you will join me in co-sponsoring these important pieces of legislation. Thank you for your interest and support.