14-year-old’s arthritis meds denied after Ariz. abortion ban, doctor says
Synopsis
Since Roe v. Wade was overturned, doctors across the country have reported challenges to refilling prescriptions for methotrexate, a medication used to treat arthritis that can also induce abortions. The Washington Post’s María Luisa Paúl speaks with the family of 14-year-old Emma Thompson in Tucson, Arizona. Emma has severe osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Shortly after Arizona’s abortion restrictions took effect, a pharmacist refused to fill her prescription for the medication she depends on.
This is a medication that allows Emma to manage her symptoms in order to go to school. Although Emma eventually received her medication, the delay highlights the far-reaching effects of abortion bans on health care writ large, even when medications are prescribed for other purposes. The reversal of Roe v. Wade has created confusion and legal concerns for pharmacists, complicating access to essential drugs like methotrexate. To access prescriptions for medications that can potentially terminate pregnancies, some patients have had to prove they are not pregnant and submit pregnancy tests.
‘The pharmacist said she denied it because Emma is 14 years old,’ which is considered a childbearing age.
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