ALBANY, N.Y. — On Monday, Governor Kathy Hochul of New York signed a new bill aimed at protecting the anonymity of physicians who prescribe abortion medications. This legislative move comes in the wake of a New York doctor facing charges for allegedly dispensing abortion pills to a minor in Louisiana.
The newly enacted law, which is effective immediately, permits doctors to opt-out of having their names printed on abortion pill containers. Instead, the labels can feature the names of their medical practices. This decision follows a grand jury indictment of Dr. Margaret Carpenter from New York, who, alongside her practice, is accused of unlawfully providing abortion pills online to a pregnant adolescent.
This development marks a significant moment as it appears to be the first criminal charge against a physician linked to sending abortion medications to another state since the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. Governor Hochul, representing the Democratic Party, indicated that she opposes any request for extradition to Louisiana for Dr. Carpenter, attributing the exposure of the doctor’s identity to the labeling of the medication.
“From today forward, that scenario will not occur again,” Hochul stated during the signing ceremony of the bill. In the Louisiana case, officials reported that the minor faced a serious medical emergency subsequent to taking the medication, necessitating her transfer to a hospital. The exact gestational age of the girl’s pregnancy remains unclear. Additionally, the girl’s mother has also been charged and turned herself into law enforcement late last week.
District Attorney Tony Clayton stated that there is a national arrest warrant out for Dr. Carpenter, and he noted the potential for her arrest in states with stringent abortion laws. Louisiana enforces a nearly total ban on abortion, with significant penalties for physicians found guilty of performing such procedures, which could include imprisonment for up to 15 years, hefty fines, and the revocation of their medical licenses.
In a broader commitment to reproductive health rights, Governor Hochul announced plans to introduce another law that would mandate pharmacists to respect physicians’ wishes by omitting their names from prescription labels.
Previously, Dr. Carpenter faced legal action from the Texas attorney general for claims related to the provision of abortion pills to Texas residents; however, that case did not involve any criminal allegations.
Abortion pills are currently the predominant method of abortion in the United States and have become a central focus amid ongoing political and legal disputes arising from the post-Roe v. Wade landscape, with states implementing varied regulations on abortion practices.
