Ohio senator demands DOJ review after doctor force-fed abortion pills

Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, has requested that the Department of Justice review the case of an Ohio doctor who was sentenced for using his estranged wife's identity to obtain mail-order abortion pills and force-feed them to a former patient. The senator argues that the 2023 Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy change, which permitted mifepristone to be prescribed via telehealth and sent through the mail, enabled the incident.

Hassan Abbas, an Ohio doctor, was sentenced earlier this month for identity fraud and deception. Prosecutors alleged that Abbas used his estranged wife's personal information to acquire mifepristone, an oral drug used to induce abortion, without ever visiting a pharmacy. According to the victim, Abbas held her down and force-fed her the crushed pills after she revealed her pregnancy. She stated she did not want an abortion and rushed to a hospital where she began hemorrhaging after escaping.

Moreno wrote to Attorney General Todd Blanche, asking for federal intervention to ensure such an event does not recur. The senator described the incident as a "hell on earth tragedy" attributed to what he called reckless Biden-era mail-in abortion policies. He noted that under previous regulations, mifepristone had to be dispensed in person at a clinic, medical office, or hospital, a requirement that the 2023 FDA change removed.

The legal framework Moreno cites is currently under challenge. Louisiana is suing the FDA in court, arguing that the agency improperly eliminated the in-person dispensing requirement for mifepristone. The case remains ongoing, and the current rules allowing remote prescription and mail delivery are still in effect.

Moreno urged Blanche to act quickly to conclude the Louisiana v. FDA case so that the in-person dispensing requirement is reinstated while the FDA continues its safety review of the drugs. The senator also criticized the sentence handed down to Abbas, which included six months of jail time and two years of probation following a plea deal. Moreno called this outcome unacceptable for a crime he described as vile and asked the Justice Department to consider if additional federal charges should be brought.