A House committee today approved legislation adding an additional burden to women seeking to terminate an abortion by medication in the first eight to 10 weeks of pregnancy — being informed of an unproven contention that the two-pill procedure can be “reversed.”

The committee ignored sharp testimony by two fourth-year med students on the dearth of science on the contention that women can not take the second pill in the two-pill medication abortion and “reverse” the abortion by taking a hormone pill. The students says there’s no evidence that taking a hormone pill is any more successful at preventing an abortion than merely not taking the second pill.

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SB 341 by Sen. Missy Irvin has passed the Senate and now goes to the House floor. Believe it or not, with passage, it will be the law of Arkansas for a doctor to tell a woman seeking a medication abortion by way of a written notice:

“Notice to Patients Having Medication Abortions That Use Mifepristone: Mifepristone, also known as RU-486 or Mifeprex, alone is not always effective  in ending a pregnancy. It may be possible to reverse its intended effect if the second pill or tablet has not been taken or administered. If you change your mind and wish to try to continue the pregnancy, you can locate immediate help by searching the term “abortion pill reversal” on the internet.”

Nothing is reversed, the med students helpfully pointed out in describing the inaccuracy of practicing medicine by Google. It didn’t deter a do-pass vote. Watch it if you dare, beginning at 10:06.

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