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Today in Dobbs v. Jackson, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in its entirety, enabling states to outlaw abortion.
Dr. Rachel Villanueva, President of the National Medical Association and a practicing OB-GYN, issued the following statement:
“This is a dark day in America. The Supreme Court has stripped away the freedom of individuals to make deeply personal health care decisions. Medical matters should be determined by patients and their health care providers – not by justices in Washington, D.C. or the government. This decision is unconstitutional, dangerous and discriminatory. It will not stop abortions from being performed, it will unfortunately only make the procedure more dangerous. Women of color, poor women and other disadvantaged individuals who don’t have the resources to travel to obtain the medical care they need will be disproportionately impacted.
“At a time when maternal mortality rates are worsening, particularly for Black women, it is deeply disappointing that our institutions are actively harming - not helping - women’s health. Abortion is part of total health care for a woman. Doctors should be able to provide medical care based on scientific fact and evidence-based medicine, and free from any political interference. The entire medical community should be gravely concerned about the precedent this decision sets.”
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The NMA promotes the collective interests of physicians and patients of African descent. We carry out this mission by serving as the collective voice of physicians of African descent and a leading force for parity in medicine, elimination of health disparities and promotion of optimal health.
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