Punished for Practicing Medicine? Doctor Faces Prison for Legally Prescribing Abortion Pills
Dr. Margaret Carpenter, a family physician in New York, has been indicted by a Louisiana grand jury for prescribing abortion medication to a minor via telemedicine. Louisiana, one of the strictest anti-abortion states in the U.S., classifies abortion medication as a "controlled dangerous substance." Under Louisiana law, prescribing or mailing abortion pills is a felony punishable up to five years in prison and fines between $5,000 and $50,000.
The case is unprecedented—it is the first time a doctor has faced criminal charges for prescribing abortion pills to an out-of-state patient. The minor’s mother reportedly requested the medication online, and Carpenter sent the prescription legally from New York, where abortion remains fully legal. However, Louisiana authorities are now pursuing criminal charges against both Carpenter and the minor’s mother.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has stated she will not allow Carpenter to be extradited, citing New York's "shield laws," which were enacted to protect doctors who provide abortion care to patients in states with bans. With 8,000 women receiving abortion pills monthly in states with strict bans, telemedicine has become an essential access point for care. But with increasing legal risks, physicians may now face prosecution for providing what they consider standard medical treatment within their own jurisdiction...Read more
Do you feel that medicine is becoming a battleground for political conflicts? Have you seen similar cases in your country?
