Two Democratic lawmakers are fighting back on bills now under consideration that would require doctors to provide patients with information mainstream medical groups consider inaccurate and not scientifically sound.
State Reps. Beth Liston (D-Dublin, MD, PhD) and Allison Russo (D- Upper Arlington, DRPH) are doctors. Liston says Ohio lawmakers are considering legislation now that would come between doctors and their patients.
“We are taking medical decision making out of the hands of the people who know it best. I don’t think the government should be practicing medicine. I think that we really want to protect people and make sure they are receiving care from the people who have the best training," Liston says.
Liston says they are sponsoring a bill that would prevent the state from mandating health professionals provide patients with information that is not supported by science and mainstream medical associations.
“In the case of some of these abortion bills, I feel like we shouldn’t be experimenting on pregnant women and in some cases, that’s what’s being proposed," Liston explains.
Liston takes issue with a Senate passed plan that requires doctors to talk to patients about medication abortion reversal, which experts say isn’t safe or effective. And critics note another abortion-related bill talks about moving an ectopic pregnancy into the uterus, which is a procedure that doesn’t currently exist.
