Bioethics Public Policy Report: March 31, 2026
State by State
South Dakota and Mayday Health reached a settlement in a case regarding the Mayday Health’s abortion pill advertisements in the state, in violation of state law. Mayday Health, as part of the settlement, agreed to remove its advertisements from the state. For further information, click here.
In Pennsylvania, two bills in the state senate and house of representatives have been introduced that, if passed, would legalize assisted suicide in the state. To track the bills, click here and here. To send a message to your representative, and for further information, click here.
The Virginia Medical Professionals for Women’s Safety has made a declaration in opposition to the ballot proposal that would enshrine a “right” to abortion in the state constitution. To read the statement, click here.
Federal Courts
A federal judge has issued a permanent injunction against the City of Clearwater, Florida, from enforcing a law that would have placed a “buffer zone” of 38 feet along a public sidewalk outside of an abortion facility. For further information, click here.
Sidewalk Advocates for Life has filed suit in federal court against Detroit, Michigan, over its “buffer zone” ordinance that criminalizes speech which protests or counsels against abortion within 15 feet of an abortion facility and 8 feet of patients outside of such facilities. For further information, click here.
National
The Ethics & Public Policy Center released a report indicating that the number of serious complications due to mifepristone increased after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration removed the in-person dispensing requirement for the drug. To read the report, click here.
Aging with Dignity, a pro-life non-profit for end-of-life issues, found that the number of incidents of physician-assisted suicide increased by almost 1000% between 2014 and 2024. 14,446 Americans are reported to have died by physician-assisted suicide since 1997, but Aging with Dignity noted that the number is very likely higher because states have not been reporting the numbers in accordance with their laws. For further information, click here.
The Religious Liberty Commission held its sixth hearing, focusing on threats to religious liberty in healthcare in past administrations and how to ensure conscience protections for believers going forward, with Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone and Bishop Robert Barron speaking from a Catholic perspective. For further information, click here and here.
Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) introduced a bill to the House floor, the “Clean Water for All Act,” which approaches the issue of chemical abortion from an environmental perspective. The bill, if passed, would prohibit chemical abortion without a doctor, a physical examination, a medical waste “catch kit,” and further instructions on how to handle fetal remains. For further information, click here.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has launched an investigation into 13 states for potential violations of the Weldon Amendment, a federal law that protects conscience rights in healthcare settings. Specifically, in its press release announcing the investigation, HHS repudiated a 2021 letter “excluded employers and plan sponsors from the scope of health care entities that the Weldon Amendment protects” and indicated that states should not rely on it. For further information, click here.
International
Alberta, Canada, is considering amending its Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) law to prevent access to MAID for anyone who is not likely to die within 12 months and further protect vulnerable individuals from access, such as minors, those whose sole affliction is mental illness, and those without capacity to make their own decisions. For further information, click here and here.
In Scotland, the assisted suicide bill failed to pass by a vote of 57–69. The failure of the bill seems to be final, and pro-life advocates are now calling for more focus on palliative care. For further information, click here.
The House of Lords in the United Kingdom voted to decriminalize at-home abortion, rejecting amendments to the bill that would have had some protections for the unborn after 24 weeks and required a prior in-person consultation with a physician. For further information, click here.
In India, the Western Region Bishops’ Council has criticized the recently passed “Freedom of Religion Act” in Maharashtra, which requires 60 days’ notice to authorities if a person intends to convert to another religion. For further information, click here.
Archbishop Gabriele Caccia, the Holy See's permanent observer to the United Nations, called for an end to surrogacy at an event titled, “Protecting Women and Children: Combating Violence and Exploitation in Surrogacy.” For further information, click here.
Of Note
The International Conference on the Ethics of Engineering Life held their third annual conference last week, entitled, “Quid est homo? Quis est homo?” For further information, click here.
The International Catholic Committee for Nurses and Medical Social Assistants (CICIAMS) is holding their 22nd World Congress in Thailand on November 9–13, 2026, with the theme of “Human Dignity and Peace: Time for Global Transformation.” For further information, click here.
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