Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Treat applauds signing of measure regulating abortion-inducing drugs

Sen. Greg Treat today applauded Gov. Mary Fallin’s signing of House Bill 1970 – a measure that will require physicians to administer abortion inducing drugs in accordance with U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines.
“Governor Fallin has been a consistent champion for the sanctity of life, and I’m very pleased she has signed this bill into law,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City. “Oklahoma is blessed to now have a governor who recognizes and defends the value of human life. This legislation protects women and the unborn from potentially deadly medicine.”
Co-authored by Treat, the measure will require that physicians examine their patients before prescribing an abortion-inducing drug.
“I’m very grateful to Rep. Grau and Sen. Treat for their efforts to protect the unborn and their mothers,” Fallin said. “This legislation provides important safeguards for pregnant women, and is a critical part of our effort to promote the cause of life.”
Rep. Randy Grau, principal author of HB 1970, said the bill will also require physicians to schedule a follow-up appointment and provide the patient with the drug’s label to ensure the patient is fully aware of the risks associated with the drug.
“I believe abortion-inducing drugs must be better regulated in order to ensure the safety of pregnant women,” said Grau, R-Edmond. “Every patient is different and doctors will now be required to perform an exam and schedule follow-up care before prescribing an abortion-inducing drug. This ensures that the drugs are prescribed only after careful review and that the doctor addresses any adverse effects in a follow-up appointment. I thank Governor Fallin for signing the legislation.”
HB 1970 expands current statutory restrictions on the administration of RU-486 (mifepristone) to include any drugs with abortion-inducing properties that are prescribed with the intent of causing an abortion. It requires physicians who provide such drugs to do so according to FDA protocol and as authorized by the drug label. The measure defines the term drug label and requires physicians to provide each patient with a copy. It also requires physicians to examine the patient prior to administering the abortion-inducing medication and document the gestational age and intrauterine location of the pregnancy. In addition, it requires physicians to schedule the patient for a follow-up appointment after administering the drug.

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