The media is fear mongering on pro-life laws again. This time the culprit was the Tuesday installment of CBS Mornings where it was claimed that in some states it is now more difficult to treat ectopic pregnancies and other, non-pregnancy-related diseases.
Host Nate Burleson kicked off the segment by reporting “The fight over limits on abortion is spreading to some unexpected places including drug stores. At least one medication commonly prescribed for arthritis, lupus, and even cancer is becoming harder to get after the Supreme Court allowed states to restrict or outlaw abortions. Janet Shamlian has a story of patients who are caught in the middle and dreading the possible impact on their health.”
Shamlian began her report by highlighting 10-year old Noraa Wise, who “has been living with a rare autoimmune disease that causes inflation in her bones.”
After several failed attempts to treat the disease, “life changed, her mom says, after Noraa’s doctor prescribed methotrexate.”
Shamlian then gave a summary of Methotrexate, “It’s commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and some cancers but can also be used to terminate non-viable ectopic pregnancies where a fertilized egg grows outside the womb. Since the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade some women report trouble getting the medication by pharmacists concerned they could be held responsible for aiding an abortion.”
Norra’s mother Tyse was then showed worrying, “As soon as I started hearing about women in other states having this issue I started asking the question, “Is this going to be a problem?”
CBS Mornings didn’t answer the question, but based on CBS Evening News and Indiana law, the answer is no.
Not willing to accept good news, Shamlian shifted to Missouri where, “Annie England Noblin is a longtime user of methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis, but says a pharmacy recently put her refill on hold.”
This bit of fear-mongering was also immediately debunked as Noblin admitted she still receives the treatment, “They needed to make sure my rheumatologist actually prescribed me methotrexate for my RA and not so that I could, you know, abort a fetus.”
Like Indiana, Missouri does not define removal of ectopic pregnancies as abortions, but Shamlian still encouraged Noblin to blame the law and not the pharmacy’s lack of reading comprehension, “It was immediate anger. I was embarrassed because I was in a pharmacy line and I—I-- said, ‘okay, do you also need to know the first date of my last period as well?’”
To complete the trifecta, Shamlian traveled to Texas where she introduced “John Thoppil is as an OB/GYN doctor practicing in Texas, another state were most abortions are illegal,” whose office featured a poster of former Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
In response to Shamlian’s questioning if there are other medications that can do what methotrexate does, Thoppil replied, “Unfortunately for an ectopic pregnancy, no. So, you know, if this is delayed, there is a timeline that this works, the pregnancy gets too far along, the only thing left is surgery.”
Just like Indiana and Missouri, it is illegal to treat ectopic pregnancies in Texas. Maybe CBS should get their information from people who don’t have pictures of liberal heroes in their offices.
This segment was sponsored by Cadillac.
Here is transcript for the August 16 show:
CBS Mornings
8/16/2022
7:40 AM ET
NATE BURLESON: The fight over limits on abortion is spreading to some unexpected places including drug stores. At least one medication commonly prescribed for arthritis, lupus, and even cancer is becoming harder to get after the Supreme Court allowed states to restrict or outlaw abortions. Janet Shamlian has a story of patients who are caught in the middle and dreading the possible impact on their health.
JANET SHAMLIAN: Noraa Wise has been living with a rare autoimmune disease that causes inflation in her bones. For a while, her mom says, there was no relief.
TYSE WISE: We're doing therapies and everything we could but her pain kept increasing and she would be crying all night long.
SHAMLIAN: The 10-year-old Indiana girl says the worst pain was in her lungs.
NORAA WISE: It felt like I didn't want to breathe. It just felt like needles.
WISE: But, life changed, her mom says, after Noraa’s doctor prescribed methotrexate.
TYSE WISE: We started the methotrexate, it took about two weeks and she said she wasn't in pain anymore.
SHAMLIAN: Methotrexate slows the body's immune system and reduces inflammation. It’s commonly used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and some cancers but can also be used to terminate non-viable ectopic pregnancies where a fertilized egg grows outside the womb. Since the Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade some women report trouble getting the medication by pharmacists concerned they could be held responsible for aiding an abortion.
TYSE WISE: As soon as I started hearing about women in other states having this issue I started asking the question, “Is this going to be a problem?”
SHAMLIAN: Annie England Noblin is a longtime user of methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis, but says a pharmacy recently put her refill on hold.
ANNIE ENGLAND NOBLIN: They needed to make sure my rheumatologist actually prescribed me methotrexate for my RA and not so that I could, you know, abort a fetus.
SHAMLIAN: Noblin lives in Missouri, a state banning almost all abortions.
When you heard that, what did you think?
NOBLIN: It was immediate anger. I was embarrassed because I was in a pharmacy line and I—I-- said, “okay, do you also need to know the first date of my last period as well?”
SHAMLIAN: John Thoppil is as an OB/GYN doctor practicing in Texas, another state were most abortions are illegal.
JOHN THOPPIL: This is a common thing we deal with.
SHAMLIAN: He's prescribed methotrexate about ten times over the last year to end non-viable pregnancies and is concerned about potential delays in patients getting it.
SHAMLIAN: Are there other medications that can do what this drug does?
THOPPIL: Unfortunately for an ectopic pregnancy, no. So, you know, if this is delayed, there is a timeline that this works, the pregnancy gets too far along, the only thing left is surgery.
SHAMLIAN: For Noraa Wise, the medication is a game changer she wants to keep taking.
NORAA WISE: I know the medicine works. I don't have any more pain. It's just, I hope that I'll have my medicine.
