- Furkan Yalcin
- furkan.yalcin@asm.ca.gov
SACRAMENTO – Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo issued a statement today in full support of California Attorney General Rob Bonta's announcement of a lawsuit against Heartbeat International (HBI) and RealOptions Obria, two organizations accused of falsely advertising abortion pill reversal (APR) as safe and effective. The legal action seeks to protect the rights of Californians to access accurate and comprehensive reproductive health information.
“I am encouraged that Attorney General Bonta is taking on these dangerous practices for a procedure that threatens the health of women - abortion pill reversal. Recommended to women who have recently taken the abortion pill, this abortion reversal is not supported by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists because it is dangerous and, ‘not based on science and do[es] not meet clinical standards’. When a Crisis Pregnancy Center discussed abortion pill reversal in a hearing on my abortion protection bill (AB 710), the doctor testifying on my bill told me about a woman who came to the ER bleeding out and needing urgent care from this procedure. It’s disturbing that the anti-abortion ideology of these groups outweighs science and the health and safety of women, which is why I am so grateful for the life-saving action of AG Bonta,” said Assemblywoman Schiavo. “I am hopeful that in the next legislative session, we will take on this entire industry, whose main goal is undermining a woman’s right to choose and blocking access to abortion care.”
In her statement, Assemblywoman Schiavo also emphasized the critical importance of protecting abortion rights amidst a national landscape where access to abortion care is increasingly under threat.
"Abortion rights are being attacked across the country. With millions of women no longer able to access the abortion care they need. In California, Crisis Pregnancy Centers that offer or refer out for abortion pill reversal is the new frontier of the anti- abortion movement. But California must take on these organizations when it threatens Women’s health and access to safe abortion care. As a state, we are well positioned to expand and protect these rights for all Californians and be a safe haven for women across the country," said Assemblywoman Schiavo.
One of Assemblywoman Schiavo's legislative priorities for the current session was to protect and expand the right to choose. A vital aspect of this effort involves ensuring that individuals have access to factual information about where they can obtain abortion care. Unfortunately, deceptive practices employed by some crisis pregnancy centers have posed a significant challenge to this goal.
"So many crisis pregnancy centers, which now outnumber abortion clinics in California by 20%, use deceptive practices to lure vulnerable women into their centers for care when in fact, most don't provide any reproductive health services, compromising women's ability to get abortion care when time is of the essence and when they most need support. In fact, 75% of crisis pregnancy centers in California don't have a licensed medical professional on site," Assemblywoman Schiavo added.
The lawsuit brought forward by Attorney General Rob Bonta aims to address these deceptive practices and protect Californians from being misled by organizations that claim to offer abortion pill reversal services without adequate medical expertise or scientific basis.
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Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo was elected to the California State Assembly in November of 2022 to represent the 40th Assembly District, representing the Northwest San Fernando Valley and the Santa Clarita Valley. Upon her election, she was appointed as Assistant Majority Whip by the Speaker of the Assembly and now serves as Chair of the Assembly Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. Prior to her election, Assemblywoman Schiavo was a Nurse Advocate and Small Business Owner who worked in the labor movement for more than 20 years. Throughout her career, Assemblywoman Schiavo helped deliver healthcare, including reproductive healthcare, to more than one million people. In the Northwest San Fernando Valley, she co-founded an organization that helped secure housing for Veterans experiencing homelessness, has delivered more than 50,000 meals to people in need, and increased resources to help keep our communities safe. Assemblywoman Schiavo lives in Chatsworth with her daughter Sofia where they love to hike in the Santa Susana Mountains.