At The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM), our work is centered on advancing health for everyone. The historic ruling by the Supreme Court striking down Roe v. Wade has changed the reproductive rights landscape in our country and will have a significant and long-term impact on equity by limiting access to reproductive healthcare. We stand with the many health professional and stakeholder organizations in affirming the right to these essential health services.
The ruling exacerbates existing health inequities in the U.S. and has broad implications for clinical care and for the patient-provider relationship. No one should have to travel across state lines to receive essential care, and this ruling will limit access for those without the means to travel to receive legal and safe reproductive health services. As has been noted by many, this will unduly affect people of color, who already experience appalling disparities in health and birth outcomes, and communities where there has been historic disinvestment.
While New York State will continue to keep access to abortion legal and available to all, the risks are real and dramatic for many across the U.S. The burden on services in states that protect access to abortion care will lead to further healthcare access challenges. We firmly believe that access to healthcare should never depend on where you live.
Central to NYAM's mission is basic fairness in healthcare for all. The ruling has created a public health crisis of the first magnitude. The impact on equitable access to health for all must be key to all responses to this dramatic change. In the coming months, NYAM will be working with a newly formed coalition of healthcare professional and stakeholder organizations to join forces to protect reproductive healthcare and to advocate for policies and programs that will assure essential care for all. We look forward to joining with others to advance this work.
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