I am addressing my comments to The Virginia Board of Health  on proposed new regulations for women's health centers that provide abortion care.  

If approved as written, these unnecessary and burdensome regulations could force the majority of women’s health centers in Virginia to CLOSE their doors.

Not only that, the regulations will increase the financial hurdles to health care for patients, with no proven medical benefit to patients. Virginia women need MORE access to affordable, high quality health care, not less!

Besides, the high standard of care provided by women's health centers is proven by their impressive safety record.  Overregulation will limit access to a wide range of preventive reproductive health care services provided by women's health clinics, including life-saving cancer screenings, family planning, and sexually transmitted infection testing and treatment.

It is my hope that the regulations will be amended to be based purely on medicine and science, and not to impede women's access to essential health care, which the proposed regulations will do.

Respectfully submitted.