Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
States With Abortion Restrictions Are Losing Young, Educated Population
Tens of thousands of young people — single people, in particular — have left states with near-total abortion bans. A new paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research, a nonprofit economic research organization, estimated population changes by analyzing address-change data collected by the United States Postal Service. It found that since the 2022 fall of Roe v. Wade, the states with near-total abortion bans — 13 at the time of the analysis — appear to have lost 36,000 people per quarter. Single-person households, which typically skew younger, were more likely to move out of states with bans. (Luthra, 1/9)
Abortion news from New Mexico, Washington, Indiana, and California —
The New Mexico Supreme Court on Thursday struck down abortion restrictions by conservative cities and counties, helping to ensure the state remains a go-to destination for people from other states with bans. The unanimous opinion, in response to a request from state Attorney General Raúl Torrez, reinforces the state’s position as having some of the most liberal abortion laws in the country. (Lee, 1/9)
The Pharmacist Abortion Access Project (PAAP) was launched by Uplift International, a leading advocate for global health and human rights, in collaboration with Honeybee Health, an online pharmacy.  The program is the first of its kind in the country, but organizers are hopeful that other states will follow. It is launching as abortion rights advocates brace for new attacks on abortion access under the Trump administration. (Weixel, Choi and O'Connell-Domenech, 1/9)
A new bill would further clamp down on abortions in Indiana by banning procedures using pills and requiring women to file an affidavit of rape to meet one of the state’s few exceptions. Its future is uncertain since it was filed by a Senate Republican — Indianapolis Sen. Mike Young — who has clashed with caucus leadership over Indiana’s abortion ban. (Kelly, 1/8)
Two Humboldt County women allege they were denied emergency abortion care at Providence St. Joseph Hospital, sparking controversy over religious freedom. (LaFever, 1/8)
Also —
Jennifer Welch is stepping down as president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of Illinois after more than seven years in the role, the organization announced Wednesday. Welch’s resignation comes at a critical time for Planned Parenthood of Illinois, which has been a leader in providing reproductive health care amid national uncertainty over abortion rights. (Jinich, 1/9)
Medical students at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston are developing artificial intelligence tools to help them learn how to provide all-options pregnancy counseling without putting themselves or their patients at risk of prosecution under the state’s abortion ban. (Paun, Schumaker and Ollstein, 1/7)
On women's rights —
Many Americans have flocked to the U.S. Capitol this week to pay their respects to former President Jimmy Carter, who died on December 29 at the age of 100. A cornerstone of the 39th president’s legacy is his fight for gender equity. For decades, Carter championed women and girls through his domestic policy and global advocacy work — and even channeled his values to advocate for gender equity in his church denomination. (Padilla and Barclay, 1/9)