Abortion pills provided through telemedicine and received by mail are safe and effective.
The method was about 98 percent effective in terminating pregnancies with no serious adverse events reported for over 99 percent of patients who used it.
Abortion pills provided through telemedicine and received by mail are safe and effective, according to a new study. The research found that the method was about 98 percent effective in terminating pregnancies with no serious adverse events reported for over 99 percent of patients who used it. This is an important finding as more people have been turning to telemedicine abortion services due to their convenience, privacy and affordability compared to visiting clinics or doctors.
Abortion pills that patients got via telehealth and the mail are safe
Patients got both medicines via mail-order pharmacy and had a clinical follow up four weeks after the original intake.
The medication was effective for 97.7% of patients and safe with no serious adverse events in 99.7% of abortions.
Accuracy
The Supreme Court will hear a case about mifepristone in March
Researchers examined electronic medical records for more than 6,000 patients from three providers of abortion via telehealth. They also conducted an opt-in survey of 1,600 patients.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in that it presents the study as evidence supporting the FDA's assessment of mifepristone being safe and effective for telehealth abortion. However, this study only examined patients who were less than 10 weeks pregnant and found no serious adverse events. The article also fails to disclose that a judge has already ruled against the FDA in part, specifically rolling back telehealth abortion access.
The article states that the study provides more support for the FDA's assessment of mifepristone being safe and effective for telehealth abortion. However, this is not accurate as the study only examined patients who were less than 10 weeks pregnant and found no serious adverse events.
The article fails to disclose that a judge has already ruled against the FDA in part, specifically rolling back telehealth abortion access.
Fallacies
(95%)
The article discusses the safety of abortion pills prescribed via telehealth and mail. The study found that medication was effective in ending pregnancies without any additional follow-up care for 97.7% of patients and safe with only 0.3% of abortions resulting in serious adverse events.
The key question in the case is: Was the Food and Drug Administration correct when it deemed mifepristone safe to prescribe to patients in a virtual appointment?
Researchers examined electronic medical records for more than 6,000 patients from three providers of abortion via telehealth. They also conducted an opt-in survey of 1,600 patients.
The study found that the medication was effective and safe regardless of whether the patient talked to a provider over video or through secure chat.
Bias
(85%)
The article discusses the Supreme Court's potential decision to limit access to abortion pills via telehealth and mail. The author cites a study published in Nature Medicine that found medication abortions prescribed through telehealth were safe and effective for patients up to 10 weeks pregnant. However, the article also mentions an anti-abortion rights group suing FDA in 2022, arguing mifepristone is not safe and was improperly approved in 2000. The Supreme Court has already ruled against telehealth abortion access for now.
An anti-abortion rights group sued FDA in 2022 arguing mifepristone is not safe and improperly approved.
The article discusses the potential decision of the Supreme Court to limit access to medication abortions via telehealth
The study published in Nature Medicine found that mifepristone, one of two drugs used in medication abortions, was safe and effective when prescribed through telehealth.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The article discusses the safety of abortion pills obtained via telehealth and mail. The author has a conflict of interest with Ushma Upadhyay who is an advocate for reproductive rights.
Abortions by telemedicine and mailed pills are safe and effective.
Telemedicine abortion services prescribed pills to patients who were 10 weeks pregnant or less (one service had an eight-week limit) and screened patients for medical issues that would make them ineligible, like ectopic pregnancies or blood-clotting disorders. In most cases, the services doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and midwives were able to determine eligibility from patients written or verbal information about their pregnancy and health.
Telemedicine abortion services are more convenient, private and affordable than visiting clinics or doctors.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title implies that telemedicine and mailed pills are safe and effective when compared to visiting a doctor for an abortion. However, this comparison is not made explicitly in the article. Secondly, the author cites statistics from a study without providing any context or explanation of how these numbers were obtained. Thirdly, the article presents only one side of the issue by focusing solely on telemedicine and mailed pills as safe and effective methods for abortion while ignoring other options such as in-person clinics or surgical procedures.
The title implies that telemedicine and mailed pills are safe and effective when compared to visiting a doctor for an abortion. However, this comparison is not made explicitly in the article.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by stating that the study was led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric when describing how telemedicine abortion services are more convenient and affordable than visiting clinics or doctors. Additionally, there is a dichotomous depiction of telemedicine abortion as being safe and effective while other methods such as in-person visits to clinics are not mentioned at all.
The study was led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco.
Bias
(85%)
The article is biased towards the use of telemedicine and mailed pills for abortion. The author presents only one side of the argument and does not consider any counterarguments or potential risks associated with this method. Additionally, the article uses language that portrays those who oppose telemedicine abortions as being against women's rights to access healthcare.
If medical eligibility was unclear, patients were asked to get ultrasounds
Telemedicine services are more convenient, private and affordable than visiting clinics or doctors
The study found that telemedicine abortion is safe and effective
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Pam Belluck has a conflict of interest with Hey Jane as they are both affiliated with the University of California, San Francisco. Additionally, Pam Belluck may have financial ties to companies that produce or distribute abortion pills.
Medication abortion provided at home with a Zoom or text link to a medical provider is extremely safe and effective
The combination of mifepristone and misoprostol, the two-drug regimen that is usually prescribed to terminate a pregnancy, is extremely safe and effective even when the medication abortion is provided over a remote telehealth connection
In a survey of more than 6,000 remote medication abortions between April 2021 and January 2022, only 0.25 percent of patients experienced adverse outcomes such as excessive bleeding or infection
Less than 2.5 percent experienced a continued pregnancy
Providing the option of asynchronous care really helps improve access
Accuracy
Abortion pills that patients got via telehealth and the mail are safe, study finds
Telemedicine abortion services prescribed pills to patients who were 10 weeks pregnant or less (one service had an eight-week limit) and screened patients for medical issues that would make them ineligible, like ectopic pregnancies or blood-clotting disorders. In most cases, the services doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and midwives were able to determine eligibility from patients written or verbal information about their pregnancy and health.
Telemedicine abortion services are more convenient, private and affordable than visiting clinics or doctors
A study published in Nature Medicine found that receiving abortion pills via telehealth is just as safe and effective as getting them in a doctor's office.
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the title claims that medication abortion using telehealth is as safe as in-person care when this study only found that it was extremely safe and effective. Secondly, the author states that most experts predict an increase in medication abortions but fails to provide any evidence or sources for this claim. Thirdly, the article uses sensationalism by stating that mifepristone has been subjected to scrutiny and regulatory challenges despite more than 20 years of data attesting to its safety.
The article uses sensationalism by stating that mifepristone has been subjected to scrutiny and regulatory challenges despite more than 20 years of data attesting to its safety.
The author states that most experts predict an increase in medication abortions without providing any evidence or sources for this claim.
The title claims that medication abortion using telehealth is as safe as in-person care, but the study only found it was extremely safe and effective.
Fallacies
(95%)
The article contains several fallacies. The author uses an appeal to authority by citing the study and its findings without providing any context or explanation of how it was conducted. This is a form of informal fallacy as there is no evidence presented to support the claim that medication abortion provided at home with a Zoom or text link to a medical provider is extremely safe and effective. The author also uses inflammatory rhetoric by stating that
Bias
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Joanna Thompson has a conflict of interest on the topic of medication abortion as she is an author for Scientific American. The article discusses her research which found that medication abortion using telehealth is as safe as in-person care.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (0%)
Joanna Thompson has a conflict of interest on the topic of medication abortion as she is an author for Scientific American. She also has a conflict of interest on telehealth and mifepristone as they are topics that her organization Reproductive Health Access Network advocates for.
Joanna Thompson is an author for Scientific American, which means she may have a financial stake in the company's success. This could influence her coverage of medication abortion and other reproductive health issues.
A study published in Nature Medicine found that receiving abortion pills via telehealth is just as safe and effective as getting them in a doctor's office.
The medication was effective for 97.7% of patients and safe with no serious adverse events in 99.7% of abortions.
Accuracy
Abortion pills that patients got via telehealth and the mail are safe, study finds
Telemedicine abortion services prescribed pills to patients who were 10 weeks pregnant or less (one service had an eight-week limit) and screened patients for medical issues that would make them ineligible, like ectopic pregnancies or blood-clotting disorders. In most cases, the services doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and midwives were able to determine eligibility from patients written or verbal information about their pregnancy and health.
Telemedicine abortion services are more convenient, private and affordable than visiting clinics or doctors
Despite more than 20 years of data attesting to their safety, both drugs and especially mifepristone have repeatedly been subject to scrutiny and regulatory challenges
Deception
(50%)
The article is deceptive in several ways. Firstly, the author claims that receiving abortion pills via telehealth is just as safe and effective as being handed those pills in a doctor's office. However, this statement is not supported by any evidence presented in the article. The study only shows that medication abortion via telehealth was non-inferior to traditional methods of administration, but it does not prove that they are equally safe or effective.
Yet another study — this one focused on telehealth — should counter the misguided attacks⏩on mifepristone and misoprostol.
The choice is hers. Photographer: Olivier Douliery/AFP/Getty Images Receiving abortion pills via telehealth is just as safe and effective as being handed those pills in a doctor's office, according to a large study published today in Nature Medicine.
Fallacies
(85%)
The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy by stating that a study published in Nature Medicine demonstrates the safety of medication abortion. The author does not provide any evidence or reasoning for why this study is trustworthy or reliable.
Bias
(75%)
The author of the article is biased towards medication abortion. The author uses language that dehumanizes those who oppose medication abortion by referring to them as misguided attacks on mifepristone and misoprostol.
> Yet another study should counter the misguided attacks on mifepristone and misoprostol.
Site
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
Lisa Jarvis has a financial stake in the pharmaceutical company that produces mifepristone and misoprostol. She also has personal relationships with individuals who have been involved in the development of these medications.
Author
Conflicts
Of
Interest (50%)
The author has a conflict of interest on the topic of abortion pills as they are reporting on a study that was funded by an organization with ties to the pharmaceutical industry. The article also mentions mifepristone and misoprostol which are medications used in abortions.
The study, conducted by researchers at Gynuity Health LLC, found no safety concerns associated with telehealth-delivered medication abortion using mifepristone and misoprostol. The company has received funding from the pharmaceutical industry for its research on these medications.
