Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit on Friday against New York doctor Margaret Carpenter, accusing her of providing abortion pills to a Texas woman via telemedicine. This legal action, filed in Collin County District Court, marks what appears to be the first attempt by a conservative state to target out-of-state providers of abortion pills.
Dr. Carpenter, based in New Paltz, New York, allegedly prescribed mifepristone and misoprostol, two drugs commonly used for medication abortions, to the Texas woman. The woman reportedly experienced complications and sought hospital care after taking the pills. According to the lawsuit, her partner later discovered the medication.
Paxton argues that Carpenter violated Texas law by practicing medicine in the state without a Texas medical license. He is seeking an injunction to prevent further violations of the state’s abortion ban and at least $100,000 in civil penalties for each alleged infraction.
Medication abortions, which now account for over half of all abortions in the U.S., have become a focal point since the 2022 Supreme Court decision allowing states to ban abortion. Over 20 states have since enacted such bans.
New York, however, has implemented shield laws to protect abortion providers from prosecution in other states. These laws ensure that New York will not cooperate with external efforts to penalize doctors who comply with state law.
Responding to the lawsuit, New York Attorney General Letitia James emphasized the state’s commitment to safeguarding abortion access. “We will always protect our providers from unjust attempts to punish them for doing their job,” she stated.
Dr. Carpenter, a co-founder of the online telehealth clinic Hey Jane and a member of the Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine, could not be reached for comment.
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