Statement by Rob Karrer, president of Van Buren County Right to Life, on Judge Patel’s Injunction

Many of you may not be aware, but two days ago a Michigan judge ruled that our informed consent law, with its 24-hour waiting period, was no longer enforceable thanks to Proposal 3 and the more recently enacted Reproductive Health Act. Equally outrageous, Judge Patel ruled that non-physicians will be permitted to perform abortions. I am reminded that in the late 1960s when abortion reform was being debated in state legislatures across the United States, abortion-rights proponents argued that licensed medical doctors should be the sole abortion providers in order to prevent non-physicians and “quacks” from endangering women. Apparently, Judge Patel does not want women to receive vital medical information about their abortions, does not want women to take one day to think and reflect on the life-long psychological or emotional regret that may occur, and now wants non-physicians to become abortion providers. How are these situations safe for Michigan’s women?

The following is a statement from Right to Life of Michigan president, Amber Roseboom.

“Women in Michigan should be on notice. The reckless ruling by Judge Sima G. Patel prevents enforcement of the 24-hour waiting period and informed consent for abortion law and now allows for non-physicians to perform abortions. This dangerous move comes on the heels of Governor Gretchen Whitmer and her Democratic allies in Lansing removing common-sense health and safety standards for abortion clinics. There is no question that women are at greater risk when they enter an abortion clinic today than they were a year ago.

This decision presents an immediate threat to women considering an abortion in our state. The 24-hour waiting period and informed consent law has been in place for more than 30 years, providing women seeking an abortion with medically accurate information, including common risks associated with the procedure. As a result of this dangerous development and disregard for patients’ rights, women in Michigan are no longer guaranteed access to important facts.”