Trump Stops Biden Rule Forcing Doctors to Do Abortions
The Trump administration rolled back a controversial Biden-era policy Tuesday that aimed to force emergency room doctors to perform abortions under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), drawing praise from pro-life leaders and religious liberty advocates.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the reversal in a press release, framing it as a move to protect both pregnant women and their unborn children.
“CMS will continue to enforce EMTALA, which protects all individuals who present to a hospital emergency department seeking examination or treatment, including for identified emergency medical conditions that place the health of a pregnant woman or her unborn child in serious jeopardy,” the agency stated. “CMS will work to rectify any perceived legal confusion and instability created by the former administration’s actions.”
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The previous Biden-era policy, issued in July 2022 by then-HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra, required doctors to perform abortions if they deemed the procedure necessary to stabilize a patient — even if it violated state pro-life laws or the doctor’s convictions.
In response, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) filed a lawsuit earlier this year on behalf of the Catholic Medical Association, which argued that the mandate was a violation of conscience rights.
Following Tuesday’s announcement, ADF announced it was dropping the case, while praising the move as a win for doctors.
“Doctors—especially in emergency rooms—are tasked with preserving life,” said ADF Senior Counsel Matt Bowman. “The Trump administration has rolled back a harmful Biden-era mandate that compelled doctors to end unborn lives, in violation of their deeply held beliefs.”
Bowman emphasized that all 50 states already permit doctors to treat life-threatening conditions like ectopic pregnancies.
“Emergency room physicians can and do treat life-threatening conditions such as ectopic pregnancies, and every state allows doctors to do whatever is necessary to preserve the life of a mother,” he said. “Now, doctors will be able to perform their life-giving duties without fear of government officials forcing them to end life and violate their beliefs.”
Susan B. Anthony (SBA) Pro-Life America also celebrated the move.
“Led by Dr. Oz, the Trump administration has delivered another win for life and truth – stopping Biden’s attack on emergency care for both pregnant moms and their unborn children,” said SBA Pro-Life President Marjorie Dannenfelser.
Dannenfelser criticized former President Joe Biden’s policy for creating dangerous confusion, falsely suggesting that women in pro-life states could not receive critical emergency care.
“Democrats have created confusion on this fact to justify their extremely unpopular agenda for all-trimester abortion,” she said. “In situations where every minute counts, their lies lead to delayed care and put women in needless, unacceptable danger.”
LifeNews Note: Elise DeGeeter writes for CatholicVote, where this column originally appeared.
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