New York, United States

A New York resident has sued the largest hospital system in New York over charges of discrimination. She claims she was denied medicine for a serious medical condition because she was of "childbearing age", and that the drugs could harm the hypothetical foetus. 

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Care denied

In September 2022, New York resident Tara Rule went to the neurologist at Glens Falls Hospital for treatment of a debilitating condition called cluster headaches — a type of very painful one-sided headache, that can occur every day for weeks or months at a time.

Her neurologist, however, denied her the medication, saying that she was of childbearing age and that the medicine could potentially harm her hypothetical foetus.

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Rule, as per Jezebel, told the doctor that she did not plan on having kids and would rather opt for an abortion, even if she falls pregnant.

However, the male neurologist responded that the care she was seeking is "trickier now with the way things are going."

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He also advised her to bring her partner "in on the conversation" regarding her medical care.

The woman had earlier shared audio recordings of the doctor's appointment on short video format app TikTok. Now, she has sued the hospital system.

What the suit alleges

Rule has filed a lawsuit against Albany Medical Health Partners, charging them with discrimination.

She alleges that the doctor prioritising the imagined foetus over her was a violation of several federal laws, including the Affordable Care Act’s anti-discrimination provisions and the Age Discrimination Act.

Talking to Jezebel, she said: "Where are we drawing the line here?"

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"Are hospitals going to require someone to share a pregnancy test, proof they’re on birth control, get a hysterectomy, to get life-saving health care?"

She also said that she hopes that the lawsuit will create protections for "childbearing age" women post Roe V Wade.

Post Roe concerns

In 2021, a decades-old landmark judgment called Roe V Wade was overturned by the US Supreme Court. Following that, there have been multiple cases of women being denied life-saving medications that can potentially harm foetus' and are deemed "abortifacients" by doctor and pharmacists.

(With inputs from agencies)

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