LANSING, Mich. (WXMI) — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is requesting the Department of Homeland Security and national health department to provide clarity in their guidance regarding Michiganders who choose to cross the Canadian border for reproductive healthcare.
The Michigan governor’s office says there are contradicting statements from DHS and HHS on residents’ legal ability to acquire medication in Canada.
“After the recent US Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v Wade, Michiganders need to know that they can access the reproductive health care and prescription medication they need,” Whitmer said. “That is why I wrote to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Homeland Security, urging them to immediately issue guidance clarifying that no legal obstacle prevents Michiganders from seeking reproductive health care in Canada or from bringing prescription medication secured in Canada back to the United States.”
The state says the U.S. Food & Drug Administration states it is illegal to bring drugs to the U.S. in most cases, meanwhile the country’s Customs and Border Protection claims prescription drugs can be transported over the border if prescribed by a doctor.
“I encourage the federal government to pull out all the stops to ensure that Michiganders can access care in Canada if they need to. In this perilous, precarious moment for women’s fundamental rights, we need to be creative and take bold action. We must lead,” Whitmer said.
Read Governor Whitmer’s full letter here:
2022.07.07 Letter to HHS and DHS Re Abortion in Canada FINAL by WXMI on Scribd
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