A nationwide ban on telehealth abortion resulting from the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA Supreme Court case would limit access to this safe and vital healthcare service.
This issue brief summarizes findings from the largest study of telehealth abortion in the U.S. With over 6,000 participants, study results demonstrate that receiving abortion pills via telemedicine is safe and effective. Telehealth abortion allows patients to be screened for medical eligibility remotely by a clinician, receive abortion medications by mail, and complete their abortion process under the remote care of their clinician. Telehealth is also preferable for many patients and increases access to abortion care.
More than 99% of patients who had telehealth abortions did not experience a serious adverse event like blood transfusion or major surgery and over 97% had a complete abortion without additional intervention. Nearly all patients trusted the telehealth provider, felt telehealth was the right decision, felt cared for, and were very satisfied. The science is clear: telehealth abortion is safe, effective, and vital for patients who face the most barriers to care.