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People in Tucson, Arizona, demonstrate for abortion rights
Photo: Sandy Huffaker / AFP
For almost two weeks, abortions in the US state of Arizona have only been possible if the mother's life is at risk.
In all other cases, including rape or incest, abortions are prohibited.
An abortion clinic in Phoenix has now developed a system to make it easier for patients to access a drug that can be used to terminate the pregnancy:
According to Camelback Family Planning, after an ultrasound scan in Arizona, the patients should receive a telemedicine appointment with a California doctor.
From there, the drug will then be prescribed and mailed to a Californian city that sits on the Arizona border.
The patients could pick up the pill from this border town.
All this should be free.
Clinic itself only offers ultrasound and consultation
A nurse at the clinic said Camelback Family Planning complies with Arizona law because the clinic doesn't perform abortions, only provides ultrasounds and counseling, according to the Guardian.
The cost of the pills would be covered by the Arizona Abortion Fund, which helps women pay for out-of-state access to abortions.
Until now, the route the pills took to Arizona was much longer: Doctors in Sweden prescribed the drug before a pharmacy in India mailed them to Arizona.
By the end of June, a 1973 Supreme Court decision secured abortion rights.
Nationwide, abortions were permitted at least until the fetus was viable.
That ruling was overturned by the right-wing majority of the court in a historic decision.
Now, in various states, it is only possible to have an abortion in exceptional cases.
In Arizona, a 1901 law was reinstated in late September that bans abortion in nearly all cases.
In California, abortions are legal and protected by law.
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