WASHINGTON: The administration of US President Donald Trump rescinded on Tuesday guidance issued under his predecessor Joe Biden explicitly protecting hospitals for providing emergency abortions.
The memo, which required hospitals to provide emergency abortions to women whose health was at risk, even in states with abortion restrictions, was rescinded by a branch of the US health department overseen by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
The Biden-era memo had been issued in July 2022, weeks after the US Supreme Court revoked federal abortion rights.
It sought to maintain some abortion protections by guiding the interpretation of the 1986 Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA).
The EMTALA “provides rights to any individual who comes to a hospital emergency department and requests examination or treatment”, according to the latest memo issued by Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Although the memo specifying emergency abortion protections has been rescinded, the overarching law enshrining a person’s right to receive emergency medical services remains in place.
“Patients, including pregnant people, are entitled to the full rights and protections afforded under this federal statute,“ Tuesday’s memo concluded.
This is the latest move by Trump and his administration at restricting abortion access.
In his first week back in office, Trump revoked two executive orders signed by Biden, which aimed to protect access to abortion pills and the ability to travel to states where abortions are not banned, among other things.
