Advocacy Update

SAHM Advocacy Update

Joanna Brown, MD, MPH
Chair, SAHM Advocacy Committee

and

Abigail English, JD
SAHM Senior Policy Fellow

As always, SAHM members and SAHM as an organization are engaged in wide-ranging advocacy on behalf of adolescents and young adults (AYAs). Some highlights of recent SAHM activities related to gender-affirming care, contraception, reproductive health care privacy and other important issues are included here.

Gender-affirming Care

SAHM recently signed onto “friend of the court” (amicus curiae) briefs in cases challenging bans or restrictions on gender-affirming care cases in Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky and Oklahoma. SAHM has also participated in amicus briefs in several other gender-affirming care lawsuits in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida and Texas.

We have reason to celebrate as a result of several favorable decisions in gender-affirming care cases. A federal district court in Florida issued preliminary injunctions in two cases, Dekker v. Weida (ban on use of Medicaid funds for gender-affirming care for any age) and Doe v. Lapado (Board of Medicine/Board of Osteopathic Medicine regulation banning gender-affirming care for minors). In Arkansas, in Brandt v. Rutledge, the federal district court issued the first permanent injunction against a ban on gender-affirming care for minors. Both courts explicitly relied on testimony and amicus briefs of the medical experts. SAHM can be proud of its role in helping to bring about these victories.

Contraception

On June 13, 2023, the FDA approved the “prescription-to-OTC switch” of Norgestrel 0.075mg (Opill) without an age restriction. This is the culmination of years of collaborative advocacy on the part of SAHM and many partners, including testimony from young people themselves about the obstacles they experienced in trying to access prescription contraception.

In early May 2023, a representative of the SAHM Reproductive Health Committee presented oral testimony during the Open Public Hearing of the FDA Advisory Committee. SAHM was part of a group of 37 speakers, of whom 35 spoke in strong support of the proposal. The Advisory Committee members included SAHM’s own Leslie Walker-Harding, MD and Elise Berlan, MD. At the conclusion of the hearing, the Advisory Committee voted unanimously in support of a recommendation to the FDA for approval of OTC status for this oral contraceptive.

Reproductive Health Care Privacy

On June 16, 2023, SAHM and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) submitted joint comments on the “HIPAA Privacy Rule to Support Reproductive Health Care Privacy” proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services Office for Civil Rights (OCR). While thanking OCR for its efforts to increase protection for reproductive health care privacy, SAHM and AAP also urged “. . . OCR to move quickly to strengthen the proposed rule and issue final regulations that will increase protection for reproductive health care information in the HIPAA Privacy Rule, enhancing the safety of adolescent and young adult patients and their health care providers, increasing the trust between them, and improving the ability to receive and deliver high quality, comprehensive health care.” A final rule is pending.

SAHM Public Statements

SAHM has recently issued several public statements on important policy issues. Some statements are in support of international days focusing on particular issues, such as days related to tobacco use prevention and drug trafficking, and other statements focus on additional timely topics. Here are some recent examples with website links:

Advocacy Resources

In addition to the advocacy support that SAHM provides, excellent resources are available through the state-level American Academy of Pediatrics chapters and other organizations. Each AAP state chapter has an executive director who is versed in state advocacy activities, legislative affairs and ongoing lawsuits. SAHM partners with the AAP for many advocacy activities (the national AAP advocacy site is here). Contact information for AAP state chapters can be found at: Chapter Websites (aap.org). Organizations such as the American Public Health Association (APHA), the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the American College of Physicians (ACP) have great advocacy resources as well. We also encourage SAHM members to reach out to their SAHM regional chapters to learn about ongoing advocacy efforts.

Our future advocacy to protect and promote the health and well-being of AYAs will depend, as always, on the enthusiasm, commitment, dedication, creativity and perseverance of SAHM members. The Advocacy Committee is ready to help. We would love to work with you. Here are the Advocacy Team members at SAHM:

Advocacy Committee:

Joanna Brown – Chair
Saira Ahmed
Carolyn Curry
Shelby Davies
Serwa Ertl
Sarah Green
Davia Loren
Gregg Montalto
Erik Su
Loren Wozniak

Advocacy Committee Consultants:

Jesse Barondeau
Paula Cody
Abigail English
Laura Grubb
Andrea Hoopes
Karen Johnson
Lisa Mihaly
Sarah Nathan
Ashley Pollicelli
Maria Rahmandar
Jack Rusley
John Santelli
Eve Shapiro
Margaret Stager
Andrea Swartzendruber
Kathleen Tebb
Iniobong Udo
Ariel White

Advocacy Special Interest Group Leader: Laura Grubb, MD, MPH

Senior Policy Fellow: Abigail English, JD

Again, thank you for all you do!

Joanna Brown, MD, MPH

Abigail English, JD