States have long maintained centralized databases to oversee prescriptions for potentially addictive drugs. Recently, some areas in the US have begun to monitor abortion pills in a similar manner. Last May, Louisiana enacted a law to track misoprostol and mifepristone, the two primary medications used for inducing abortions. This legislation reclassified these drugs as “controlled substances,” a designation typically reserved for medications that present a risk of misuse.
Bamboo Health, the organization overseeing Louisiana’s prescription monitoring database, is equipped to track these medications. As of March, clinicians in Louisiana are mandated to log every mifepristone and misoprostol prescription they issue into Bamboo’s database, as stated by the New Orleans Health Department.
A former employee of Bamboo revealed to Business Insider that the company communicated its goals to monitor these drugs via an internal Slack channel last year, citing a legal obligation as Louisiana’s prescription-monitoring provider. The individual requested anonymity to discuss sensitive information.
States like Texas, Indiana, and Idaho are contemplating similar initiatives to track these drugs, all partnering with Bamboo.
CEO of Bamboo Health, Jeff Smith, informed Business Insider that the company’s prescription monitoring platform must adhere to state regulations. “They dictate how that data is managed and accessed. That’s reflected in Louisiana and elsewhere,” he explained.
It’s important to note that misoprostol is not solely for abortion purposes; it also serves in treating stomach ulcers, managing miscarriages, and controlling excessive bleeding postpartum, which is a leading cause of mortality for women during delivery. The designation of misoprostol as a controlled substance imposes restrictions on its commonplace use and subjects it to state scrutiny, which could adversely affect patient care, as expressed by various physicians and public health officials who spoke to Business Insider.
Since October, Louisiana has mandated some manual reporting for these drugs, according to a lawyer familiar with state guidelines. With the introduction of Bamboo’s electronic system, concerns have arisen among doctors regarding who will gain access to this data and its intended use, as indicated by Dr. Jennifer Avegno, the director of the New Orleans Health Department.
Prescription monitoring programs, or PMPs, are frequently employed to probe doctors for potential misconduct. While crackdowns during the opioid crisis reduced prescription rates, they sometimes compromised necessary care, as physicians feared legal repercussions for performing their duties. Experts fear that reproductive healthcare could face similar challenges.
Rep. Jolanda Jones from the Texas House of Representatives, who is a member of the public health committee, expressed her worries that clinicians may hesitate to prescribe mifepristone and misoprostol when medically warranted—or might even consider leaving the state altogether—due to fears of incarceration for delivering appropriate care. “If I were a doctor, I’d be thinking, now I’ve got Big Brother monitoring how I practice medicine? Why?” she remarked. “It’s going to have a chilling effect on medical care. We’re already witnessing it.”
