Today, United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued the following statement on the Supreme Court’s ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson, overturning Roe v. Wade: 

“Today's decision is a major step backward for public health. Reproductive health decisions – like all health decisions – should be made by patients and their health care providers.  

“Restricting these decisions compromises the essential principle of maintaining an individual’s autonomy and control over their health decisions and creates dangerous health risks. When reproductive health decisions are restricted, the number of unplanned pregnancies and unsafe abortions rises. Ultimately, the health of women and pregnant people is put at risk – an effect that will be felt disproportionately in historically marginalized populations, including communities of color, low-income Americans, and rural residents. Health care providers, who are already under extraordinary strains due to the pandemic, will be forced into an impossible choice between doing what's right for their patients and complying with laws that are at odds with their patient's health interests.    

“While some states have already taken action to preserve reproductive health rights, in many others, today’s decision means that the reproductive health protections many Americans have relied on have now already disappeared or will soon be gone.

“As Surgeon General and as a doctor, I know that equitable access to reproductive health services is a cornerstone for health, and I will do everything I can to speak up for and support women’s right to make their own decisions about their health.”