Republicans overreach on proposed abortion pill ban

A recent Iowa poll found that 61 percent believe that abortion should be legal in most cases, while only 31percent felt it should be illegal. And yet, extreme Republicans who are in control of our state government intend to restrict that freedom as much as possible.

The latest example is House File 146 which would make it a felony to “manufacture, distribute, prescribe, sell or transfer” abortion drugs in Iowa. The use of pills to cause an abortion was the most common approach used in Iowa in 2020 at over 79 percent. Typically, pills are used in the first 10-11 weeks of pregnancy with the patient taking one pill, and then, 24 hours later a second one. This approach is safe with complications developing in less than 0.3 percent of patients.

In December 2021 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowed patients to have the pills prescribed through telemedicine and obtained by mail from certified pharmacies.

If HF 146 becomes law, patients will not be able to get prescriptions for the pills or receive the pills through the mail. The state law would clearly conflict with the power granted by Congress to the FDA to regulate drugs. In fact, a lawsuit was recently filed in federal court in West Virginia arguing that a similar state law is unconstitutional.

Sadly, HF 146 shows what can happen when radical Republicans are given full control of state government: the will of the people is overridden.

Thomas Hill

Cedar Falls

Opinion content represents the viewpoint of the author or The Gazette editorial board. You can join the conversation by submitting a letter to the editor or guest column or by suggesting a topic for an editorial to editorial@thegazette.com