Federal law criminalizes remote medication abortion, requiring in-person clinic visits
H.R. 729 — Teleabortion Prevention Act of 2025 · Filed by Mark Harris (R-NC) · 18 cosponsors · Introduced Jan 24, 2025 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill creates a federal criminal offense for healthcare providers who prescribe or dispense medication abortion drugs without physically examining the patient, being physically present during the abortion, and scheduling a follow-up visit within 14 days. Patients themselves cannot be prosecuted. The bill does not apply to abortions necessary to save a pregnant person's life. Healthcare providers who violate the law face fines up to $1,000 and up to 2 years imprisonment.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a criminal prohibition on remote medication abortion provision by healthcare providers. While titled as a safety measure ('Teleabortion Prevention'), its functional effect is to restrict a legal medical procedure by imposing in-person and follow-up requirements that do not track clinical evidence for safety.
What the text implies
- The 14-day follow-up requirement may conflict with FDA-approved medication abortion protocols, which do not mandate in-person follow-up at that interval for all patients.
- The bill's definition of 'healthcare provider' as 'any person licensed to prescribe prescription drugs' is broad and may capture nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and other licensed prescribers depending on state law, expanding the scope of criminal liability.
The full analysis lists 5 implications of this text.
Who it affects
The bill restricts access to medication abortion by imposing in-person requirements and follow-up scheduling, reducing the availability and convenience of a legal medical procedure for pregnant people. While framed as a safety measure, the restrictions operate as a practical barrier to access independent of clinical necessity, particularly for people in rural areas, those with transportation constraints, or those seeking privacy.