Email Alert, June 19, 2002

OPPOSE SB 1301—Reproductive Privacy Act
Removes “physician-only” requirement for abortions—(by Senator Sheila Kuehl)

              SB 1301 would replace the 1967 Therapeutic Abortion Act with the “Reproductive Privacy Act.”  From a pro-life perspective both of these acts are horrendous, however our most grave concern with SB 1301 is the repeal of the requirement that only physicians may do abortions in California.  
            
               Current law requires in Section 123405 of the Health & Safety Code, that abortions be done by “a holder of the physician’s and surgeon’s certificate.”  If SB 1301 passes, non-physicians would be permitted to perform “nonsurgical” abortions—such as RU 486, methotrexate, or other drug abortions yet to be developed.

             Section 123405 would be replaced with Section 123468 of the Reproductive Privacy Act, which drops the reference to physicians and surgeons and states:  "The performance of an abortion is unauthorized if . . . the following is true:  (a) The person performing or assisting in performing the abortion is not a health care provider authorized to perform or assist in performing an abortion pursuant to Section 2253 of the Business and Professions Code."

            In Sections (b)(1) and (b)(2) of 2253, a distinction is made between surgical and non-surgical abortions.  Section (b)(1) allows NON-PHYSICIAN medical professionals with the appropriate certificate (whatever that means) TO ASSIST in the performance of SURGICAL abortions.  Most significantly, Section (b)(2) allows NON-PHYSICIAN medical professionals, again with the appropriate certificate, TO PERFORM or assist in performing NON-SURGICAL abortions.

             As recently as April 19, the federal Food and Drug Administration posted a letter on their website from Danco Laboratories, the manufacturer of RU 486, informing physicians that two women have died after RU 486 abortions, and one 21 year-old suffered cardiac arrest—a rare occurrence in a woman that age.  The two who died suffered a bacterial infection in one case and a uterine rupture due to an undiagnosed ectopic pregnancy in the other.  Another near-fatal bacterial infection, and two additional uterine ruptures due to undiagnosed ectopic pregnancies prompted Danco and the FDA to release the warning and ask physicians to report any additional “adverse events.” 

Call, FAX or e-mail your own Assembly Member and ask him to oppose SB 1301.  Phone calls or faxes will receive more attention than e-mails.  If you use e-mail, state your opposition in the subject line—e.g. "Oppose SB 1301—non-physician abortions will jeopardize women’s lives." 

You can find a phone number for your Assembly Member in the state government section of your phone book.  (The FAX number for each member is 916-319-21__, insert the district number.  The Phone number is 916-319-20__, insert the district number.)  Here is the link to contact information for members of the California Assembly on the internet:  http://www.assembly.ca.gov/acs/acsframeset7text.htm 

June 2002