Lawsuit challenges Louisiana classification of abortion pills as 'controlled substances'
A group of Louisiana healthcare providers and advocates are suing the state over a law that classifies abortion pills as controlled dangerous substances.
A group of Louisiana health care providers and reproductive rights advocates are suing the state over a new law that classifies abortion pills as controlled dangerous substances.
The law went into effect a month ago and puts mifepristone and misoprostol — the two pills involved in a medication abortion — on Louisiana’s list of “Schedule IV” drugs. The category also includes certain stimulants, sedatives and opioids.
It’s the first time a state has classified abortion pills as controlled substances.
In Louisiana, abortion is largely banned, so the law has not had a major impact on abortion access. However, abortions are allowed in some exceptional circumstances, and doctors often prescribe mifepristone and misoprostol off-label to manage a miscarriage. Misoprostol on its own is approved, as well, to prevent stomach ulcers.
In Louisiana, classifying the medications as Schedule IV drugs means that doctors must have a special license to prescribe them and hospitals are required to store the pills in a secure location, according to Allison Zimmer, an attorney representing the plaintiffs. Anyone who possesses the medications without a prescription could face a fine of up to $5,000 and up to five years in jail. (The law includes a broad exception, however, for pregnant women who possess the medications for their own consumption.)
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