In its ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, holding that there is no longer a federal constitutional right to an abortion. Roe v. Wade—based on an individual’s right to privacy—has been the legal precedent in this country since 1973. In many states, this ruling will likely result in near-total bans on abortion in the short term, with the potential for a more expansive federal ban in the long term. Consistent with our mission and Principles for Health Care Reform, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology opposes any ruling that restricts a person’s access to health care and criminalizes the practice of medicine.
This ruling poses a serious threat to the physician-patient relationship, and subsequent decision making necessary to ensure optimal outcomes for patients. Overturning Roe v. Wade will not prevent abortions, only those that are safe, legal and rare, and the ruling will have a disproportionate impact on people of color and patients from other vulnerable communities. As practitioners who specialize in the treatment of female reproductive cancers, we should be free to provide whatever care is in the best interest of our patients. SGO reiterates our defense of policies that ensure every patient’s medical treatment is managed by health care practitioners, and the Society opposes any law where medical professionals could face legal prosecution and/or imprisonment for making treatment decisions on behalf of their patients, who could also face charges for their personal health care decisions.