A Day With One Abortion Pill Prescriber

June 10, 2025

Unlabeled pill bottles in a pharmacy

(New York Times) – A nurse practitioner spoke on the phone with patients in states with abortion bans, assessed their medical eligibility and sent pills. She took some unconventional steps to protect their privacy.

Ms. Lynch is one of about several dozen providers in the country taking legal risks by prescribing and sending pills to patients in states with abortion bans. Many providers are based in states with shield laws, intended to offer them protection by preventing authorities there from cooperating with out-of-state officials who try to prosecute or sue them for serving people in their states.

About 20 states have adopted some type of abortion shield law since the Supreme Court overturned the national right to abortion in 2022. Eight explicitly protect telemedicine abortion prescribers who send medication to patients in any state. (Read More)