Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/19pdf/18-1323_c07d.pdf
Page Number: 42

Cite as:  591 U. S. ____ (2020) 

37 

Opinion of BREYER, J. 

surgical abortions and to “recognize and address complica-
tions from the procedure” so long as they had completed an 
accredited  residency  in  obstetrics  and  gynecology  or  been 
trained in abortion procedures during another residency—
irrespective of their affiliation with any hospital.  App. 872–
873, 1305; cf. post, at 5–6 (ALITO, J., dissenting).  And noth-
ing in the record indicates that the background vetting for
admitting privileges adds significantly to the vetting that
the  State  Board  of  Medical  Examiners  already  provides.
250 F. Supp. 3d, at 87; App. 1355–1356, 1358–1359. 

Second, the District Court found that the admitting-priv-
ileges requirement “does not conform to prevailing medical
standards  and  will  not  improve  the  safety  of  abortion  in
Louisiana.”  250 F. Supp. 3d, at 64; see id., at 64–66.  As in 
Whole Woman’s Health, the expert and lay testimony pre-
sented at trial shows that: 

  “Complications from surgical abortion are relatively 
rare,”  and  “[t]hey  very  rarely  require  transfer  to  a 
hospital  or  emergency  room  and  are  generally  not 
serious.”  App.  287;  see  id.,  at  129;  cf.  Whole 
Woman’s  Health,  579  U. S.,  at  ___  (slip  op.,  at  22– 
23). 

  For those patients who do experience complications
at the clinic, the transfer agreement required by ex-
isting law is “sufficient to ensure continuity of care
for patients in an emergency.”  App. 1050; see id., at 
194, 330–332, 1059. 

  The “standard protocol” when a patient experiences 
a complication after returning home from the clinic 
is  to  send  her  “to  the  hospital  that  is  nearest  and 
able to provide the service that the patient needs,”
which is not necessarily a hospital within 30 miles
of  the  clinic.    Id.,  at  351;  see  id.,  at  115–116,  180, 
793; La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §40:1061.10(A)(2)(b)(ii) (re-
quiring abortion providers to furnish patients with