Health
Doctor Faces Criminal Charges Over Online Abortion Prescription Pills
By Gideon Ayeni
A New York-based doctor, Margaret Carpenter, has been charged in Louisiana for allegedly prescribing and sending abortion pills to a patient through an online consultation.
This marks the first known case of a doctor facing criminal charges for providing abortion pills across state lines since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.
Carpenter and her medical practice, Nightingale Medical, have been charged with felony abortion-related offenses under Louisiana’s strict anti-abortion laws. Previously, she was also sued in Texas for similar reasons but did not face criminal charges.
The case has sparked strong reactions from New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, who have condemned the prosecution, calling it an attack on healthcare and reproductive rights. New York law offers legal protections for doctors providing abortion care to patients in states where the procedure is banned, raising concerns over whether Louisiana’s charges will hold up in court.
Louisiana recently classified abortion pills as “controlled dangerous substances,” enforcing stricter regulations on their use. Possession without a proper prescription now carries the risk of fines or imprisonment, while doctors who perform or facilitate illegal abortions could lose their medical licenses and face up to 15 years in prison.
Abortion rights advocates argue that Carpenter’s case is part of a wider crackdown on reproductive healthcare, while anti-abortion groups continue to push for even tougher restrictions across the U.S. The case is expected to test the limits of state authority in prosecuting out-of-state providers, further fueling the national debate over abortion access.
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