Susannah Baruch (’95), Executive Director of the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School, coauthored an article for Slate exposing the dangers of “crisis pregnancy centers” (CPCs) presenting as health care clinics and outlining legal approaches states can take to limit CPCs’ deceptive practices (“How to Overcome the Biggest Obstacle to Abortion Care in Blue States,” Nov. 27). “Misleading people into thinking they are getting a medical service is unacceptable, especially when bad maternal health outcomes are at a crisis level, and even more so in marginalized communities. Let’s experiment with some states that are treating CPCs as health clinics and force them to comply with medical norms and requirements. In other states, let’s help those who have been harmed by CPC services sue for battery and other civil claims. Winning at the ballot box is not enough—we need these legal approaches to help unmask CPCs and protect people from harm.”
