DeepSummary
The episode features an interview with Dr. Christina Francis, an OB-GYN and the president of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Dr. Francis explains her involvement in the recent Supreme Court case challenging the FDA's regulation of the abortion pill mifepristone, arguing that the drug is unsafe and should be more difficult to obtain.
Dr. Francis shares her personal experience treating a pregnant patient whose fetus had severe abnormalities, and how the patient ultimately gave birth to a healthy baby, defying the odds. This experience solidified Dr. Francis's stance against abortion, which she compares to the Holocaust, drawing a parallel between the lack of response to the extermination of Jews and the lack of action against abortion.
Despite the Supreme Court's unanimous decision against her case, Dr. Francis remains optimistic and believes the fight against abortion, particularly through challenging the availability of mifepristone, is far from over. She discusses the potential legal strategies, including invoking the Comstock Act, which outlaws mailing drugs for unlawful abortions.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Dr. Christina Francis, an OB-GYN and anti-abortion advocate, was involved in a recent Supreme Court case challenging the FDA's regulation of the abortion pill mifepristone.
- Despite the Supreme Court's unanimous decision against her case, Dr. Francis remains optimistic and determined to continue fighting against abortion access, particularly through legal challenges to the availability of mifepristone.
- Dr. Francis draws parallels between the lack of response to the Holocaust and the lack of action against abortion, which motivates her anti-abortion stance.
- She believes that abortion providers prioritize profitability over women's health and safety, and that the increased use of abortion pills is driven by convenience and perceived safety rather than medical evidence.
- Dr. Francis respects a woman's choice to have an abortion, even though she personally would not perform the procedure.
- She suggests exploring legal strategies, such as invoking the Comstock Act, which outlaws mailing drugs for unlawful abortions, to restrict access to mifepristone.
- The episode highlights the ongoing debate and legal battles surrounding abortion access in the United States, particularly in the aftermath of the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
- Dr. Francis's perspective represents the views of anti-abortion advocates who believe that abortion procedures, including the use of mifepristone, should be significantly restricted or banned.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “I actually enjoy having conversations with people that have disagreements with me on this issue in particular. And so I always value the opportunity to have good conversations about this. So thank you for being honest about that.“ by Dr. Christina Francis
- “And part of that is because they're more profitable for the abortion industry. They don't have to have a brick and mortar facility. They don't have to have surgical capabilities to be able to do surgical abortions. And because I think of the perceived, there's a privacy issue there that maybe that women can do this in a little bit more private way, and because they've been sold the lie that these drugs are safer than Tylenol, many physicians.“ by Dr. Christina Francis
- “Well, I certainly don't think that the opportunity that we've had to discuss not only the inherent dangers related to the abortion bill, but but also the unsafe way that they're being dispensed. I don't think that that was a boom to the abortion industry.“ by Dr. Christina Francis
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Episode Information
What Next | Daily News and Analysis
Slate Podcasts
6/26/24
The Supreme Court’s unanimous decision to uphold access to mifepristone left the door open for another case to be brought to ban the abortion pill. This physician is eager for another chance.
Guest: Dr. Christina Francis, CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AAPLOG), associate scholar with the Charlotte Lozier Institute, a board member of Indiana Right to Life, physician member of the Abortion Pill Reversal Network.
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Podcast production by Elena Schwartz, Paige Osburn, Anna Phillips, Madeline Ducharme and Rob Gunther.
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