Pam Belluck

And for many women, there is an easier and more preferable pathway to getting an abortion, and that's through abortion medication early in pregnancy. And this has become a much more common way of getting an abortion, so much so that even before Roe was overturned, more than half of abortions in this country were being carried out with abortion pills.

And for many women, there is an easier and more preferable pathway to getting an abortion, and that's through abortion medication early in pregnancy. And this has become a much more common way of getting an abortion, so much so that even before Roe was overturned, more than half of abortions in this country were being carried out with abortion pills.

Right. And before the pandemic, the FDA had regulations that required patients to go to a doctor or another abortion provider to pick up the mifepristone, the first drug, in person. And that, of course, was limiting for people. Not everybody can go to a clinic. Not every doctor is a certified prescriber.

Right. And before the pandemic, the FDA had regulations that required patients to go to a doctor or another abortion provider to pick up the mifepristone, the first drug, in person. And that, of course, was limiting for people. Not everybody can go to a clinic. Not every doctor is a certified prescriber.

But during the pandemic, the FDA started to change those rules and allowed the medications to be prescribed by telemedicine without seeing a doctor.

But during the pandemic, the FDA started to change those rules and allowed the medications to be prescribed by telemedicine without seeing a doctor.

and mailed to wherever the patient was. So after Roe was overturned, there was a realization that you could send abortion pills in the mail to any state, including states with bans. And that's why several states start to adopt either new shield laws or amended shield laws that explicitly state

and mailed to wherever the patient was. So after Roe was overturned, there was a realization that you could send abortion pills in the mail to any state, including states with bans. And that's why several states start to adopt either new shield laws or amended shield laws that explicitly state

say that they will protect an abortion provider who is prescribing and sending abortion pills through the mail to patients in states with bands.

say that they will protect an abortion provider who is prescribing and sending abortion pills through the mail to patients in states with bands.

It's definitely riskier for the providers, for sure. I think these types of laws are really unusual and they really haven't been tested. So it's a question whether they will ultimately stand. I think that's why you don't see that many abortion providers doing it.

It's definitely riskier for the providers, for sure. I think these types of laws are really unusual and they really haven't been tested. So it's a question whether they will ultimately stand. I think that's why you don't see that many abortion providers doing it.

It takes a kind of special personality and somebody who's comfortable with that level of risk. Many of these providers are people who are kind of more advanced in their careers and maybe their children are grown and they just feel like they have a little bit less to lose.

It takes a kind of special personality and somebody who's comfortable with that level of risk. Many of these providers are people who are kind of more advanced in their careers and maybe their children are grown and they just feel like they have a little bit less to lose.

Usually some of them have kind of protected their assets and put them in trust, but still they are absolutely taking a lot of chances. And they know that. They're well aware of that. I mean, they go into this eyes open because they are really very committed to providing this access and they see it as a really important avenue. And it has become that. Shield law providers are now sending...

Usually some of them have kind of protected their assets and put them in trust, but still they are absolutely taking a lot of chances. And they know that. They're well aware of that. I mean, they go into this eyes open because they are really very committed to providing this access and they see it as a really important avenue. And it has become that. Shield law providers are now sending...

probably more than 10,000 pills a month to women in states with abortion bans.

probably more than 10,000 pills a month to women in states with abortion bans.

This is part of the reason. And these SHIELD laws have put red states in a situation where they are trying to figure out how to stop these medications from flowing into their states. And for a while, they've been looking for cases that would allow them to try to challenge these shield laws. And eventually, they found it.

This is part of the reason. And these SHIELD laws have put red states in a situation where they are trying to figure out how to stop these medications from flowing into their states. And for a while, they've been looking for cases that would allow them to try to challenge these shield laws. And eventually, they found it.