Ohio Medication Abortion ‘Reversal’ Bill (SB 155)

SB 155 would require physicians to provide information about the possibility of “reversing” a medication abortion to patients seeking an abortion.

A physician would need to provide both of the following:

• Materials designed to inform the pregnant person of the possibility of reversing the effects of an abortion that utilizes mifepristone if they change their mind; and
• Information on and assistance with the resources that may be available to help reverse the effects of an abortion that utilizes mifepristone.

Physicians would be prohibited from performing or inducing an abortion without informing the patient—at least 24 hours prior to providing the patient with mifepristone—that it may be possible to “reverse” the effects of the medication and further information is available on the department of health’s website.

Immediately prior to providing the patient with the mifepristone, a physician would be required to provide the patient with printed materials that contain the following statement:

Recent developing research has indicated that mifepristone alone is not always effective in ending a pregnancy. It may be possible to avoid, cease, or even to reverse the intended effects of an abortion utilizing mifepristone if the second pill has not been taken. Please consult with a health care professional immediately.

Any person who fails to disclose the “reversibility” of a mifepristone abortion would be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree on a first offense and a felony of the fourth degree on each subsequent offense.

This would not apply in cases of medical emergency.

The bill provides that a pregnant person on whom an abortion is performed in violation may not be found guilty for violating, attempting to commit, conspiring to commit, or complicity in committing a violation of the above provision.

Latest Action

5/28/19 – Introduced.

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