OHA launches ‘Abortion Access in Oregon’ website; Right to Life voices objections; AG attends D.C. rally

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- On Tuesday, as the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments over the legality of current dispensing of the abortion medication mifepristone, the Oregon Health Authority launched an 'Abortion Access in Oregon' website that was criticized by Oregon Right to Life, while Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum attended a rally on the high court's steps in Washington.

Here are those three news releases, in full:

OHA Reproductive Health Program launches Abortion Access website

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Reproductive Health Program at Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has launched a new website that makes it easier for people to seek abortion care information and services.

The Abortion Access in Oregon website, viewable at oregon.gov/abortion, includes webpages and links with current and accurate information about accessing abortion services in Oregon, including:

• Information About Abortion – Describes different types of abortion services, including some frequently asked questions.
• Legal Rights and Privacy – Explains people’s legal and privacy rights to abortion in Oregon.
• Where to Get an Abortion – Includes a list of abortion providers in Oregon, as well as resources for accessing abortion services outside of Oregon.
• Paying for an Abortion – Provides information about different options to help cover the cost of abortion services.
• Abortion Access Plan – Describes OHA’s program to cover abortion services for people who have health insurance through Providence, or whose religious employers provide insurance that does not cover abortion.
• Abortion Support – Includes resources for travel and other related support, as well as resources related to emotional support before, during and after an abortion.

“The new Abortion Access in Oregon website helps us reaffirm to people in Oregon that abortion remains legal and protected in our state, and that anyone who comes to our state for an abortion, regardless of immigration status, has the legal and protected right to that abortion service, not just Oregon residents,” Governor Tina Kotek said.

“As challenges to women's reproductive freedom mount across the country, OHA remains staunchly committed to protecting access to the full range of reproductive health care -- including and especially abortion, fertility services, and contraception -- for all those who live in and visit our state,” said OHA Director Dr. Sejal Hathi. “The foundation of access is knowledge: of your rights, of available services, of the nuts and bolts of obtaining care. This website takes us one step closer to sharing that knowledge, and enabling greater access to protected care.”

The Abortion Access in Oregon website was created in collaboration with community, clinical and state partners to ensure the information it contains is relevant to, and accessible for, people seeking abortion care in Oregon.

OHA’s Reproductive Health Program, based at the state Public Health Division, has asked community, clinical and state partners to share the website link with their colleagues and staffs, as well as with community members and patients they serve.

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Oregon Right to Life news release:

Oregon Health Authority Launches ‘Abortion Access’ Website

SALEM, Ore. — Today, the Oregon Health Authority’s Reproductive Health Program announced the launch of an abortion access webpage. The site directs vulnerable women from Oregon and outside the state into an abortion pipeline. 

The “Abortion Access” website contains vague content that could have dangerous consequences for many in our state. For example, the descriptions of abortion procedures fail to accurately describe what actually happens during abortions.

In addition, information provided on the site suggests that pro-life pregnancy clinics and resource centers, which offer vital resources and support for expecting mothers, are “fake clinics” because they do not provide abortions. 

Oregon Right to Life Executive Director Lois Anderson said, “The ‘abortion access’ website is a political statement thinly disguised as health care information. Pro-life Oregon residents, medical providers, and others who may hold differing views on this issue are essentially erased from the conversation.”

“Oregon Health Authority should be prioritizing patient protection, not the profits of the abortion industry,” Anderson continued. “As the U.S. Supreme Court today considers restoring crucial guardrails on chemical abortion drugs, our state should be focused on creating more protections for pregnant women and the unborn – not marketing abortion.”

Women and families facing unsupported pregnancies are invited to explore life-affirming alternatives to abortion. Check out Oregon Right to Life’s list of local pro-life pregnancy resource centers here.

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On Steps of US Supreme Court, AG Rosenblum Rallies Abortion Rights Supporters

March 26, 2024

Speaking at an ACLU-organized rally on the steps of the United States Supreme Court this morning, Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum made an impassioned defense of abortion as essential healthcare, and of medication abortion as a key part of those healthcare rights. The rally coincided with arguments being presented inside the Supreme Court in the AHM (Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine) v. FDA (Food & Drug Administration) case.

“It was an honor to be with so many champions of reproductive justice on the front lines of the fight for access to essential health care,” said AG Rosenblum.  “The energy was infectious and gave me hope and renewed energy for the continued fight.”

AG Rosenblum spoke alongside sister Attorney General Letitia James of New York. The two AGs were part of a roster of speakers from across the nation who gathered in Washington, DC to rally on behalf of access to safe and legal abortion, which includes safe and legal access to the early abortion medication mifepristone (marketed as Mifeprex™ by Danco Laboratories).

“Mifepristone is part of the gold standard of care for medication abortion, and we will not compromise on that,” AG Rosenblum said at the rally.  ” Here we are– in 2024—confronting real threats to reproductive freedom, once again.  Without access [to safe medication]  there is simply no such freedom.”

After the rally, AG Rosenblum attended the ” America Votes” State Summit along with AG James, who addressed the attendees. Also in attendance was sister Oregonian, Barbara Smith Warner, Executive D