Statement From Dr. Avenel Joseph on the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dismissal of Emergency Abortion Care Case

The U.S. Supreme Court today dismissed the case Idaho v. United States and Moyle v. United States, relinquishing decisions to the lower courts. Dr. Avenel Joseph, vice president for policy at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, released the following statement in response:

Two years following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court has failed to set a nationwide standard of reproductive healthcare that does not treat women with the contempt that is at the heart of Dobbs. Far from a win, the Court’s dismissal of this case has left lower courts free to uphold state restrictions on women’s access to care, leading to both medical confusion and judicial ambiguity. Patients in Idaho can now resume accessing emergency abortion care without facing extreme measures of being airlifted across state lines or waiting in parking lots until their condition further deteriorates. But the uncertain fate of reproductive freedom continues to loom large for providers and patients across the country.

For nearly 40 years, federal law has ensured that people who need emergency abortion care to protect their health have access to that vital care, regardless of where they live and how much money they have, or whether they have health insurance. Today’s ruling means that, at least for now, Idaho can no longer undermine that right. 

There is considerable work left to do to ensure that women and families across the country have access to the full range of reproductive healthcare services as well as healthcare coverage generally. But like physicians, it is imperative that policymakers also adhere to a ‘do no harm’ approach when it comes to health. We hope future Supreme Court decisions on reproductive rights will adhere to this principle and urge lawmakers at all levels to do all in their power to protect and defend reproductive freedom for everyone in America. 

For more information or to speak with an expert, please contact media@rwjf.org. 

About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is committed to improving health and health equity in the United States. In partnership with others, we are committed to taking bold leaps to transform health in our lifetime and paving the way together to a future where health is no longer a privilege but a right. To achieve that vision, we are deepening our focus on dismantling one of the biggest barriers to health in America, structural racism.