On Friday, February 26, 2021, Federal District Judge William Campbell, appointed by President Donald Trump, issued a ruling to extend a temporary injunction against one of Tennessee’s newest pro-life laws. That law would require abortionists to inform women that there is a technique available to them to potentially reverse the effects of the abortion pill. However, due to this injunction, the law is currently prohibited from going into effect. This injunction will extend until Judge Campbell decides the case on its merits or, hypothetically, until the Sixth Circuit decides to overturn the injunction ruling.

“Once again, the voters of Tennessee have been silenced as Judge William Campbell has enjoined a newly enacted law that would inform women that there is a method available to them to possibly reverse the abortion pill. Judge Campbell was made aware of the success of this medical technique and, still, had the audacity to call the law “misleading.”

“The work that pro-life Tennesseans and their duly elected officials have done to protect women and their unborn children is under attack by the abortion industry.  Judge Campbell’s decision plays right into the hands of those who want to keep women in the dark about their unborn children and all the options available to them.”

“We urge Judge Campbell to weigh the evidence when he hears the merits of the case and truly give women a choice, rather than the misleading information that they are currently being given by abortionists.” -Stacy Dunn, President of Tennessee Right to Life

Background:

The Abortion Pill Reversal law requires abortion facilities to display signage informing women that a chemical (RU486) abortion may be reversed following the first dose of a two-pill protocol. It also requires a physician to directly provide the same information during informed consent, 48 hours prior to the abortion procedure.

Women have undergone the progesterone reversal process, carried their babies to term and delivered healthy babies. To date more than 2,000 babies and women have been saved by the Abortion Pill Reversal protocol.

Currently, there are over 800 medical professionals, including several in Tennessee, trained to administer the Abortion Pill Reversal protocol. Visit Abortion Pill Rescue for more information about the process.

The Tennessee Right to Life legislation passed the Tennessee Senate 23 - 5 and the Tennessee House 71-22-1 in 2020.

On August 31, 2020, Tennessee abortion facility owners and operators filed a lawsuit in the Middle Tennessee District Federal Court challenging the constitutionality of the law.  The complaint was filed in federal court by Planned Parenthood of Tennessee & North Mississippi, Memphis and Knoxville Centers for Reproductive Health, Femhealth USA dba Carafem, and Audrey Lance M.D., M.S. New York-based American Civil Liberties Union Foundation and the Center for Reproductive Rights are representing the abortion facilities and Tennessee's Attorney General is defending the constitutionality of the protective law.

On September 29, 2020, Judge William Campbell issued a Temporary Restraining Order not allowing the law to be implemented throughout the duration of the legal challenge.

Link to court case dates: https://www.tnrtl.org/abortion_pill_reversal_legal_challenge