Virginia Board of Health:

PLEASE, I'm begging you, please stand up for woman and girls over politics, for science over falsehoods. Before it's too late. We need you to stand up for the health of Virginians over the health of political careers.

The regulations threaten the continued availability of safe, legal first-trimester abortion and preventive reproductive health care in multiple locations throughout the Commonwealth, further marginalizing young, low-income, uninsured, and minority women by decreasing their health care options. 

The regulations impose unnecessary, burdensome building requirements that are unrelated to the services health centers provide and have no proven medical benefit. These building requirements will reduce or eliminate patient access to health care and are designed to force women’s health centers to close. These clinics are not only providing access to safe, legal abortion but they also provide access to breast cancer screenings, access to contraceptives, and STI testing. 

The regulations will increase the financial hurdles to health care for patients, with no proven medical benefit to patients. Women need more access to affordable, high quality health care, not less.

The high standard of care provided by women's health centers is proven by their impressive safety record. Abortion is one of the safest medical procedures. Hundreds of medical professionals throughout the state have spoken against unnecessary, burdensome building requirements, calling on the Board of Health to rely on evidence-based medicine, not politics.  The evidence shows that Virginia’s women’s health care centers are safe, trusted providers. 

Please protect us. We rely on you.

Sincerely,

Kristen Pritchard