They included a ban on medical abortions because, at that time, there were no safe and reliable methods to perform medical abortions. With the urging of PP-Rhode Island and the state's medical community, the Department of Health revised the rules in July, but continued to bar medical abortion. This was a problem, not only because the federal Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve mifepristone shortly, but because the Health Department already had barred the use of methotrexate a drug doctors consider the first line of treatment for an ectopic pregnancy. In rewriting the regulations, the Health Department now has eliminated the distinction between medical and surgical abortions. It also has expanded the rules about who can perform the procedures.
Current regulations require a physician to perform the procedure.
State law prohibits funding organizations that provide abortion services. Moreover, it prohibits family planning organizations and their abortion service off-shoots from sharing even similar names, medical facilities, equipment, expenses, business offices or waiting rooms. Planned Parenthood, and the state Health Department, which approved the funds saying that the affiliates programs were within the parameters of state law, will appeal the decision. The affiliates also were ordered to pay the state's legal costs. If you have questions, suggestions, or news to share, contact the editor of this publication.