The 3 - January 8, 2023

The most recent edition of The 3, featuring three recent stories of relevance to the Christian community, including a broadening by a U.S. federal agency of availability of chemical abortion. Also, a European country has begun pulling back on permissive policies toward therapies and surgeries that purport to change the sex of a minor.  Also, two state supreme courts recently have ruled, essentially in different ways, on laws related to abortion in those states.

FDA widens access to chemical abortions

The rise in chemical abortion has become a dangerous trend, facilitated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which, during the COVID-19 pandemic, removed a requirement that the chemicals - a 2-pill regimen - be dispensed in person.

Recently, the FDA took another step by increasing the availability of chemical abortions. The Daily Citizen reported that: 

Recent actions by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as well as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) will expand the availability of the abortion drugs mifepristone and misoprostol and ensure that companies sending the drugs through the mail will not blocked by an 1873 law making it illegal for the U.S. Postal Service to deliver anything “calculated to lead another to use or apply it for producing abortion.”

The report stated, "On January 3, 2023, the FDA modified what it calls its “Mifepristone REMS Program” to expand the availability of mifepristone to retail pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens." The article noted that, "States that prohibit abortion would still be able to prohibit pharmacies from dispensing the drug, but the increased availability in other states increases the prospect of more babies dying, as well as increasing the danger to women’s health."

The Daily Citizen article quotes Marjorie Dannenfelser, President of SBA Pro-Life America, who said, "Abortion activists want to turn every post office and pharmacy into an abortion business, and the Biden FDA is a willing participant – even while studies show emergency rooms are being flooded with women suffering from serious, life-threatening complications caused by abortion drugs..."

Sweden pulls back on allowing minors to attempt to change their sex

While there are those in the medical community and the political realm in the U.S. who want to make so-called gender change therapies and surgeries more available, a European nation would like to put on the brakes.  

CBNNews.com has reported that:

...Sweden's National Board of Health and Welfare (NBHW) recently changed its treatment guidelines for children with gender dysphoria admitting that "care has been characterized by both deficiencies in accessibility and a lack of knowledge about the results of the care."

In May, the board officially ended the practice of prescribing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones for minors under age 18, but now the board is cutting back on providing mastectomies to minors as well.

The article notes that "Sweden is one of several countries halting gender-affirming care after finding there is insufficient evidence to back that it is beneficial to minors, " adding, "As CBN's Faithwire reported, England's National Health Service recommended that doctors limit gender medical treatments for children."

However, Scotland is apparently heading in the opposite direction, The Christian Post has related that "Scotland's Parliament passed a bill...that, if enacted, will allow citizens as young as 16 to be legally recognized as transgender without requiring a gender dysphoria medical diagnosis." According to the article, the legislation "still awaits royal assent."

But, a high-ranking Scottish official has concerns; the article states:

Alister Jack, the secretary of state for Scotland, said in a statement that the government might block the legislation due to various concerns.

"We share the concerns that many people have regarding certain aspects of this Bill, and in particular the safety issues for women and children," said Jack, according to The Telegraph.

State supreme courts tackle abortion-related laws

Since the Dobbs ruling brought the overturning of Roe v. Wade, states have had the option to craft their own policies on abortion.  And, within the past few days, the Supreme Courts of two U.S. states have issued rulings that are seemingly diametrically opposed to each other. 

Liberty Counsel reports that the Idaho Supreme Court has upheld three different pro-life laws.  The organization's website stated:

In a 3-2 decision, Chief Justice Richard Bevan, Justice Gregory Moeller and Justice Robyn Brody upheld three pro-life state laws and echoed the U.S. Supreme Court’s reasoning for overturning Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey on June 24, 2022, finding that the right to an abortion is not “deeply rooted” in the state’s traditions and history.

The site states that the South Carolina Supreme Court...

...struck down a ban on abortion after cardiac activity is detected, ruling the restriction violates a state constitutional right to privacy.

In a 3-2 decision, the Court overturned South Carolina’s Fetal Heartbeat and Protection Act and ruled that is an unreasonable restriction upon a woman’s right to privacy to prevent her from having an abortion.

Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel Mat Staver is quoted as saying, “While we celebrate victory on behalf of the unborn and women in Idaho, this tragic ruling in South Carolina is a reminder that the fight for innocent unborn life continues in the states. The people of South Carolina need to amend the Constitution to protect life. Three judges should not impose a death sentence on innocent and helpless children..."