South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem issued an executive order on Tuesday to restrict telemedicine abortion and chemical abortions in the state.
The executive order (pdf) states that abortion drugs can only be prescribed and dispensed after an in-person consultation with a doctor licensed in South Dakota.
Under South Dakota law, doctors are already required to meet in person with a pregnant woman and carry out an examination before scheduling a surgical or chemical abortion.
Noem’s order was made in anticipation that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) later this year will allow abortion drugs to be dispensed through the mail or virtual pharmacies.
Subsequently, the order blocks abortion-inducing drugs from being delivered through delivery services and telemedicine, and also prevents the drugs from being provided in schools or on state grounds.
In restricting chemical abortions, Noem’s order directs the state’s Department of Health to require licenses for abortion clinics that only prescribe abortion drugs. It also requires the department to collect data on how often chemical abortions are being carried out as a percentage of all abortions.
The department is also required to collect data on any related health complications that need a medical follow-up. The department is required to enhance reporting requirements on emergency room complications related to taking abortion-inducing drugs.
According to Noem’s office, the governor “plans to work with the South Dakota legislature to pass legislation that makes these and other protocols permanent in the 2022 legislative session.”
‘A Strong Pro-Life State’
President Joe Biden issued a statement on Thursday in response to a ruling by the Supreme Court in favor of a Texas law (pdf) that bans abortions if the fetus has a heartbeat, with the exception of a medical emergency.
Biden, a Democrat, said that he was seeking to launch a “whole-of-government effort” to respond, especially to “see what steps the Federal Government can take to ensure that women in Texas have access to safe and legal abortions.”
Biden, a Democrat, said that he was seeking to launch a “whole-of-government effort” to respond, especially to “see what steps the Federal Government can take to ensure that women in Texas have access to safe and legal abortions.”
