Bill Overview
Title: Safeguarding Women’s and Children’s Health Act of 2022
Description: This bill imposes reporting requirements relating to abortion drugs. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must require health care practitioners to report (1) any death or adverse event associated with the use of an abortion drug, whether or not the adverse event is considered drug-related; and (2) each time the practitioner prescribes, dispenses, or administers such a drug. The FDA must establish online portals for health care practitioners to report such information and for patients to self-report adverse events. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must aggregate the collected information and annually publish data about such drugs, including the number of prescriptions and adverse events occurring within 120 days of use.
Sponsors: Rep. Walorski, Jackie [R-IN-2]
Target Audience
Population: Women who seek abortions
Estimated Size: 41000000
- The bill focuses on reporting requirements related to abortion drugs, specifically targeting healthcare practices and associated outcomes.
- Women who seek abortions could be directly impacted because these requirements might affect the availability or practice of obtaining an abortion.
- Children are mentioned in the title, but the content does not directly address issues related to children; the focus is on women's reproductive health.
- Healthcare practitioners are involved as they are required to adhere to new reporting requirements, potentially impacting how they prescribe and administer abortion drugs.
- The FDA and CDC are government bodies directly tasked with new responsibilities, affecting regulatory and public health approaches on abortion medications.
Reasoning
- The policy primarily targets health care practitioners and women who might seek an abortion. However, it may indirectly affect broader populations by influencing the availability and practice of providing abortion drugs.
- Women of reproductive age might feel increased scrutiny or barriers in accessing these medications, impacting their self-reported wellbeing.
- Healthcare practitioners will undergo procedural changes, and their experiences with the policy may vary based on whether they view it as additional administrative work or as a step forward for safety.
- Not every person in the target demographic will be equally affected; some may experience no change at all, depending on their individual circumstances and the execution of the policy in particular states or healthcare facilities.
- Budgetary limitations must consider implementation costs such as developing online portals, training healthcare providers, and processing data.
Simulated Interviews
nurse (New York, NY)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am worried that this policy will lead to delays in care as providers adjust to new reporting requirements.
- While I understand the importance of safety, I believe the increased scrutiny and potential stigma could have negative impacts on women seeking abortions.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
obstetrician-gynecologist (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could be a double-edged sword; while intended for safety, it might deter some providers from offering the service due to increased paperwork.
- I am concerned about patient privacy with increased data collection.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
student (Houston, TX)
Age: 24 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm anxious about accessing the services I might need and concerned about how this policy might make it harder to get a safe abortion.
- The stigma around reporting could make it more challenging for young women like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
healthcare administrator (Miami, FL)
Age: 42 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I see this policy as an increase in my team's workload, but it might improve safety oversight in the long run.
- Ensuring data privacy and accuracy will be a significant challenge that we need to address strategically.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
software engineer (Chicago, IL)
Age: 31 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Personally, this policy doesn't impact my day-to-day life, but I'm concerned for friends who might face new barriers to access.
- I'm interested in understanding how technology can help with such reporting.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
retired (Des Moines, IA)
Age: 58 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I don't see how this policy affects my life directly, but I understand the importance of drug safety.
- I feel for those who might be anxious about how this changes their healthcare services.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
public health researcher (Seattle, WA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- From a research perspective, gathering more data on abortion drugs is crucial.
- I am optimistic this will enhance insights into public health, although it should be balanced with protecting personal privacy.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
digital privacy advocate (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The policy seems like an essential step for safety, but I'm deeply concerned about how patient data will be protected.
- Any misuse of data could lead to significant privacy violations.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
legal assistant (Boston, MA)
Age: 27 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- The new requirements might complicate access, but they could also provide important data for women's health advocacy.
- I hope this won't deter providers from offering needed services.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
midwife (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I worry about how this affects the trust between healthcare providers and patients.
- While data collection is good for safety, we need to ensure it doesn't become a barrier.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $30000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $40000000)
Year 2: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 3: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 5: $25000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $30000000)
Year 10: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Year 100: $0 (Low: $0, High: $0)
Key Considerations
- Initial setup costs for IT infrastructure and ongoing maintenance are key cost drivers.
- The burden on healthcare practitioners to report prescribing and administering details could indirectly influence healthcare service delivery.
- Political considerations around reproductive rights may affect the implementation and perception of the policy