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The process requires only an internet connection: patients go online and answer some HIPAA-compliant questions about their pregnancy, such as when is the first day of their last period. If this is a clear case, it is approved by the doctor – there are seven American doctors covering 15 states – and the drug arrives in a few days. In places like Texas, where Aid Access has no state doctors, Aid Access founder Rebecca Gomperts prescribes drugs from Europe, where she is based. That could take about three weeks, Pitney said.
The ability to have a safe, discreet home abortion with just an Internet connection can change the lives of Texans and others in need. “It really changed the face of access to abortion,” said Elisa Wells, co-founder of Plan C, which provides information and education on how to access pills.
In Texas, the need is particularly acute, as cultural stigma and the existing history of restrictive laws mean that there are very few clinics available. Prior to the recent change in the law, Texans were three times more likely than the national average to use abortion pills because abortion clinics were so far away.
“In a situation like Texas, where mass access roads are almost completely cut off, that’s a solution,” said Wells, who describes much of Texas as a “desert for abortion.” Blacks and Hispanics often have less access to health care, so access to abortion pills online is vital for these communities.
They are also much cheaper than medical abortions, with most pills costing $ 105 to $ 150 plus a mandatory online consultation, depending on which country you live in. (Access to assistance forgives part or all of the payment, if necessary.)
But although they are usually prescribed in other countries (they are used in about 90% of abortions in France and Scotland, for example), only 40% of American abortions use pills. In fact, the use of pills in the United States for “self-management of abortion” could lead to charges in at least 20 states, including Texas, and has been the basis for the arrest of 21 people since 2000. Aid Access used Gomperts to prescribe as a foreign doctor was subjected to a federal investigation by the FDA, which the group disputed. The situation remains unresolved.
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