The Dangers of Telemedicine

The abortion industry racks up profits by dumping expensive complications of its procedures on hospitals, legitimate physicians, and the public. Many abortionists lack staff privileges at local hospitals, so when women having abortion complications go to an emergency room, the enormous costs are shifted to others. Missouri ended some of that cost-shifting in 2005 by prohibiting abortions unless the provider has hospital privileges within 30 miles. As a result, one of its only three abortion clinics closed, and abortions in Missouri then declined.

Meanwhile, the abortion industry has begun performing abortions through what is called "telemedicine" without the abortionist even being present to see his patient and handle immediate complications. Under this procedure, the physician, who may be thousands of miles away, pretends to "examine" a woman he may have never actually seen. The abortionist communicates with the woman by modern technology, tells her to take an abortion drug, and then leaves her on her own to expel the baby later into a toilet. If there are complications, the abortionist is nowhere to be found for further treatment. The abortion drug commonly called RU-486 was approved by the Food and Drug Administration only on condition that it be administered under the supervision of a physician able "to provide surgical intervention in cases of complications." The FDA is unlikely to take action against any abortion clinic that uses this drug to do more abortions. Rep. Steve King has introduced a bill in Congress to end this exploitation. Entitled the Telemedicine Safety Act, King's proposed statute would cut off federal funding for providers who perform telemedicine abortions. Ask your Congressman to co-sponsor Steve King's bill.

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