Roe v Wade: patients struggle to access drugs as doctors forced to take legal advice

State laws are causing confusion and problems for US patients trying to access drugs, even when they are not for abortions, following the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v Wade,1 with some doctors seeking legal advice before treating patients.

Since the reversal of the constitutional right to abortion on 24 June 2022, about half of the 50 US states are now severely restricting the right to abortion or plan to do so soon, including medication abortions.

In a joint statement2 made on 8 September, the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Pharmacists Association, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and the National Community Pharmacists Association warned …