New York doctor sued for prescribing abortion pills to Texas woman

A lawsuit, filed by Texas attorney general Ken Paxton on Thursday, alleges Dr Margaret Carpenter unlawfully prescribed abortion-inducing drugs to the 20-year-old, in violation of the state's laws.

While no criminal charges are involved, Mr Paxton said the woman, who was nine weeks pregnant, was taken to hospital in July with "serious complications" after taking the medication.

"In Texas, we treasure the health and lives of mothers and babies, and this is why out-of-state doctors may not illegally and dangerously prescribe abortion-inducing drugs to Texas residents," he said.

Court papers note the woman received two drugs commonly used in abortions for pregnancies up to 10 weeks: mifepristone, which blocks a vital hormone in pregnancy, and misoprostol, which causes contractions, cramping and bleeding in the uterus.

The documents add the state of Texas is seeking up to $250,000 from New York's Dr Carpenter - who is also a co-founder of the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine.

The lawsuit says the medic's "conduct violates the Texas Health and Safety Code's prohibition on prescribing abortion-inducing drugs via telemedicine". Such prescriptions are made online and over the phone.

Texas bars abortion at all stages of pregnancy, and in 2021 - before the Supreme Court repealed Roe v. Wade, which gave a constitutional right to abortion - passed a law allowing state citizens to sue anyone who provides abortions or assists someone in undergoing the procedure.

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Source: Sky News, 15 December 2024