Using the wrong word can cause a lot of problems, especially when it comes to reproductive rights. Case in point: Missouri’s new Plan B bill, HB 1625, which would re-classify emergency contraception (EC) as abortifacient. If this bill passes, it would make EC the same as RU486 (mifepristone) in legal terms. Therefore, pharmacies could deny dispensing EC, and there would be no legal ramifications (unlike in other states where EC is OTC for women 18 and older).
Here’s where the big problem arises: EC is not abortifacient, nor is it classified so by the FDA. If the woman is already pregnant, EC is will not terminate the pregnancy, only prevent one from occurring. This bill would be incredibly detrimental to rape victims, as they could be denied EC. And to think, it’s all because of changing one word.
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