June Medical Services, LLC, et al. v. Stephen Russo, Interim Secretary, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals
Country: United StatesYear: 2020
Court: Supreme Court of the United States
Citation: 591 US (2020)
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Hospitals, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to health, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to privacy
In 2014, the legislature in Louisiana passed Act 620 which requires any doctor who performs abortions in Louisiana to have admitting privileges at a hospital no more than 30 miles from where the abortion is performed. Admitting privileges is defined as being “a member in good standing” of the hospital’s “medical staff…with the ability to …Read more
Burns v. Cline, Oklahoma Commissioner of Health
Country: United StatesYear: 2016
Court: The Supreme Court of the State of Oklahoma
Citation: 2016 OK 99
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, Hospitals, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to bodily integrity, Right to privacy
The plaintiffs challenges several sections under the Oklahoma Code stating that it imposed unreasonable restrictions on abortion providers and therefore was in violation of the Oklahoma constitution. Amongst the measure the plaintiffs challenged, one of the sections allowed warrantless searches of abortion clinics. Other sections imposed strict requirements such as preserving tissue in case the …Read more
Whole Woman’s Health Et Al. V. Hellerstedt, Commissioner, Texas Department Of State Health Services, Et Al.
Country: United StatesYear: 2016
Court: The Supreme Court of the United States
Citation: 579 U.S. ___ (2016)
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Hospitals, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Right to bodily integrity, Right to health
In 2013, the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 2 (H.B. 2), which contained several provisions, which restricted access to abortion. One such requirement was that a doctor must have admitted privileges at a hospital within 30 miles and further every health facility offering abortion services must become mini hospitals as ambulatory surgical centers. A group …Read more
Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Kenya) & 3 Ors. v. Attorney General & 2 Ors.
Country: KenyaYear: 2015
Court: High Court at Nairobi
Citation: Petition No. 266 of 2015
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Medicines, Sexual and reproductive health
The Director of Medical Services issued a letter on December 3, 2013 and a memo on February 24, 2014 to “All Health Workers” that directed them not to participate in training on safe abortion practice and threatened legal action for non-compliance. The Federation of Women Lawyers filed suit, stating that the letter and memo had …Read more
In the Matter of the Law on Termination of Pregnancy in Northern Ireland
Country: United KingdomYear: 2015
Court: The High Court of Justice in Northern Ireland, Queen’s Bench Division
Citation: [2015] NIQB 96; 2014 No. 125661/01
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Disabilities, Health care and health services, Health systems and financing, Informed consent, Sexual and reproductive health, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to life, Right to privacy
The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (“Commission”) brought an application alleging that the rights of women in Northern Ireland who are or become pregnant with a serious malformation of the fetus (SMF), fatal fetal abnormality (FFA) or who are pregnant as a result of sexual crimes were being breached by Section 58 and Section 59 …Read more
Planned Parenthood of the Heartland, et al. v. Iowa Board of Medicine
Country: United StatesYear: 2015
Court: Iowa Supreme Court
Citation: 865 N.W.2d 252 (Iowa 2015)
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Medicines, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to privacy
This case challenged rules adopted by the Iowa Board of Medicine (“Board”) regarding medicated abortions provided via telemedicine. Starting in 2008, doctors in Iowa at Planned Parenthood began performing abortions via telemedicine. The abortions were performed using mifepristone, a drug that that can be taken orally that terminates a pregnancy, and misoprostol, another oral drug …Read more
Government of the Republic of Namibia v. LM et al.
Country: NamibiaYear: 2014
Court: Supreme Court of Namibia
Citation: [2014] NASC 19
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, HIV/AIDS, Informed consent, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Right to bodily integrity, Right to family life
The respondents, three Namibian HIV positive pregnant women, were sterilized while undergoing emergency caesareans. The respondents each signed a consent form, which included consent to the caesarean operation and sterilization through bilateral tubal ligation (BLT) but claimed that they did not provide informed consent which is required for sterilization to be considered lawful. The first …Read more
McCullen v. Coakley
Country: United StatesYear: 2014
Court: Supreme Court
Citation: 573 U.S. __ (2014)
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, Hospitals, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom of expression
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts amended its Reproductive Health Care Facilities Act (the “Act”), making it a crime to knowingly stand on a “public way or sidewalk” within 35 feet of an entrance or driveway to any abortion clinic. The Act exempted from this prohibition certain individuals, including “employees or agents of such facility acting within the scope …Read more
Mellet v. Ireland
Country: IrelandYear: 2013
Court: Human Rights Committee
Citation: CCPR/C/116/D/2324/2013
Health Topics: Child and adolescent health, Health care and health services, Health information, Health systems and financing, Hospitals, Mental health, Sexual and reproductive health
Human Rights: Freedom from discrimination, Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right of access to information, Right to bodily integrity, Right to health, Right to privacy
The author of the communication stated that she became pregnant in 2011 and in her 21st week, she was informed that the foetus had congenital heart defects. She was further informed that the impairment might prove to be fatal. However the hospital told her that abortion was not possible in the current jurisdiction (Ireland) and …Read more
P. and S. v. Poland
Country: PolandYear: 2013
Court: European Court of Human Rights
Citation: Application No. 57375/08
Health Topics: Health care and health services, Health information, Sexual and reproductive health, Violence
Human Rights: Freedom from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, Right to family life, Right to liberty and security of person, Right to privacy
The Applicants were a Polish girl who was raped at the age of 14, resulting in pregnancy, and her mother. The applicants alleged that, when they sought an abortion, which is legal under Polish law for pregnancy resulting from rape, hospital staff attempted to dissuade the girl from having an abortion. At one hospital, she …Read more