Current:Home > ScamsNew York temporarily barred from taking action against groups for promoting abortion pill ‘reversal’ -ProsperityStream Academy
New York temporarily barred from taking action against groups for promoting abortion pill ‘reversal’
View
Date:2025-04-27 22:04:29
Citing free speech rights, a federal judge has temporarily blocked New York’s attorney general from taking enforcement action against certain pregnancy counseling centers for promoting what critics say is an unproven method to reverse medication abortions.
U.S. District Judge John Sinatra Jr. in Buffalo issued a preliminary injunction against state Attorney General Letitia James and her office on Thursday. The order says James’ office cannot take legal action against two centers and a related association while their lawsuit against James is pending in federal court.
The lawsuit accuses James of unfairly targeting anti-abortion groups because of their viewpoints, including their promotion of a protocol called the “Abortion Pill Reversal.” It cites a lawsuit James’ office filed in state court in May against another anti-abortion group and nearly a dozen other pregnancy counseling centers for promoting abortion medication reversals.
James’ case against the other groups follows a similar lawsuit in California and other legal action in states such as Colorado regarding unsubstantiated treatments to reverse medication abortions.
Medication abortion, the most common way to end a pregnancy, involves taking two different drugs — mifepristone and misoprostol — days apart.
James’ office says the anti-abortion groups are advising people who have taken mifepristone not to take the follow-up of misoprostol and instead receive repeated doses of the hormone progesterone.
James’ office says the treatment has not been approved by federal regulators, and major medical associations have warned that the protocol is unproven and unscientific.
Sinatra, nominated to the court in 2019 by then-President Donald Trump, a Republican, wrote in his decision that the First Amendment protects free speech, even when that speech contains false statements. He also said the two pregnancy counseling centers and related association are likely to prevail in their lawsuit against James.
The centers have a First Amendment right to “speak freely” about the reversal protocol and say it is safe and effective to use in consultation with a doctor, the judge said.
“Plaintiffs are irreparably harmed each day that their First Amendment freedoms are infringed,” Sinatra wrote.
He added the preliminary injunction “serves the public interest by allowing women to access and receive information that may lead to saving the lives of their unborn children.”
James’ office had opposed the preliminary injunction, calling it in court documents “a collateral attack” on the office’s pending lawsuit against the other pregnancy counseling centers. Her office also said it has authority to “enforce state protections against consumer fraud and false advertising.”
James’ office had no immediate comment on the injunction Friday.
The plaintiffs that sought the injunction include the National Institute for Family and Life Advocates and two of its member centers — Gianna’s House in Brewster north of New York City and Options Care Center in Jamestown in western New York. The Virginia-based anti-abortion group has member pregnancy counseling centers across the country, including 51 in New York.
The preliminary injunction only applies to those plaintiffs, and not the centers named in James’ lawsuit in state court.
Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative group representing the plaintiffs in court, hailed the judge’s ruling.
“Women in New York have literally saved their babies from an in-progress chemical drug abortion because they had access to information through their local pregnancy centers about using safe and effective progesterone for abortion pill reversal,” Caleb Dalton, the group’s senior counsel, said in a statement. “But the attorney general tried to deny women the opportunity to even hear about this life-saving option.”
In court documents, James’ office said there is no valid evidence that abortion pill reversal is safe or effective in increasing the chances of pregnancy, and that the use of progesterone in the process has never been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
veryGood! (1)
Related
- Current, future North Carolina governor’s challenge of power
- Google just announced the new Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro smartphones. Our phone experts reveal if they're worth it
- ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ takes possession of box office with $27.2 million opening
- FBI warns of rising elder fraud crime rates as scammers steal billions in savings each year
- Civic engagement nonprofits say democracy needs support in between big elections. Do funders agree?
- Stock market today: Asian markets are mixed, oil prices jump and Israel moves to prop up the shekel
- EU Commission suspends ‘all payments immediately’ to the Palestinians following the Hamas attack
- NASCAR playoffs: Where the Cup drivers stand as the Round of 8 begins
- Scoot flight from Singapore to Wuhan turns back after 'technical issue' detected
- Simone Biles wins something more important than medals at world championships
Ranking
- What to watch: O Jolie night
- Stock market today: Markets steady in Asia after Israel declares war following Hamas attack in Gaza
- Powerball jackpot reaches a staggering $1.4 billion. See winning numbers for Oct. 7.
- Some GOP candidates propose acts of war against Mexico to stop fentanyl. Experts say that won’t work
- Juan Soto to be introduced by Mets at Citi Field after striking record $765 million, 15
- Investigators: Pilot error was cause of 2021 plane crash that killed 4 in Michigan
- An Israeli airstrike kills 19 members of the same family in a southern Gaza refugee camp
- Is cayenne pepper good for you? The spice might surprise you.
Recommendation
South Korea's acting president moves to reassure allies, calm markets after Yoon impeachment
Undefeated Eagles plan to run successful 'Brotherly Shove' as long as it's legal
In a new picture book for kids, a lot of random stuff gets banned
Luxembourg’s coalition under Bettel collapses due to Green losses in tight elections
Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
A surge in rail traffic on North Korea-Russia border suggests arms supply to Russia, think tank says
Parked semi-trucks pose a danger to drivers. Now, there's a push for change.
Florida man, sons sentenced to years in prison after being convicted of selling bleach as fake COVID-19 cure