Saint Luke’s Health System in Kansas City, which has 17 hospitals, pharmacies, and urgent care clinics, announced Wednesday afternoon that it will resume emergency contraceptives after receiving comments from the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. Mike Parson clarified that the ban on abortion does not apply to Plan B and similar products.
Due to Missouri’s ban on nearly all abortions, the health system announced Tuesday that it will no longer offer Plan B at Missouri locations.
Missouri abortion providers could face criminal prosecution or prison sentences of up to 15 years after Roe v. Wade was overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court last week.
Laurel Gifford (spokesman for Saint Luke’s) stated that the hospital network made this decision because it was too cautious.
Gifford stated that Saint Luke’s does not offer emergency contraception at its Missouri-based locations “To ensure that we adhere to all federal and state laws aEUR”, and until such time as the law in this area is better defined, aEUR” Saint Luke’s.
University Health, previously Truman Medical Centers said that it will continue to provide emergency contraceptives at both its Missouri-based facilities. Leslie Carto, spokesperson for University Health, said that the hospital doesn’t believe that this would conflict with the state’s abortion laws.
Parson, at a St. Louis news conference Tuesday, was unclear about whether people should worry about accessing birth control. Parson said that the health department is currently clarifying the law.
On Wednesday, Chris Nuelle spoke for Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and stated to the Missouri Independent that Missouri law does not prohibit the provision or use of Plan B or contraception.
Following these comments, Saint Luke’s announced Wednesday afternoon that it would resume emergency contraceptives.
It stated that “the ambiguity of this law and the uncertainty among state officials as to what it prohibits continue to cause grave concern” and would require close monitoring. This is because health care professionals whose sole purpose is to provide medically necessary treatment for patients are subject to criminal prosecution for violating the statute.
Saint Luke’s, a faith-based organisation, supports the Episcopal Church’s right for all patients to make their own medical decisions with consultation with their doctors. This is where health care works at its best.
Saint Luke’s Church is affiliated to the Episcopal Church.
Missouri’s abortion law doesn’t specifically address emergency contraceptives like Plan B, also known as the “morning after pill”, and Planned Parenthood has stated that it doesn’t think the law will impact access to birth control.
Gifford stated that Saint Luke’s could not risk its health care providers being prosecuted.
She stated that the Missouri law was unclear and could be read as criminalizing emergency contraception. “As a system that cares deeply about its staff, we cannot place our clinicians in a situation that could lead to criminal prosecution.”
The Kansas hospital network continued to offer emergency contraceptives and other reproductive services at its Kansas locations.
Below is Saint Luke’s original statement.
Saint Luke’s continues to analyze the implications of Roe v. Wade’s Supreme Court ruling and the subsequent implementation by Missouri of a trigger law restricting abortion.
Saint Luke’s Missouri-based facilities will not offer emergency contraception until we comply with all federal and state laws.
Two reasons are behind this:
Saint Luke’s will continue monitoring the situation to ensure that the reproductive care we provide, which includes abortions for maternal medical emergencies (MMR), continues to be in compliance with all applicable laws.
