Tell Representative Weston Newton NO to H.4760
South Carolina State Representative Weston Newton
H.4760 would impose new criminal penalties and restrictions on Misoprostol and Mifepristone, two safe and effective medications that are widely used in medical care in South Carolina.
While often discussed in the context of abortion, these medications are also routinely used to treat miscarriages, postpartum hemorrhage, and other serious pregnancy-related complications. They are standard tools relied on by doctors and hospitals to provide timely, evidence based care.
By reclassifying these medications and attaching felony penalties to their possession and distribution, H.4760 creates legal uncertainty for healthcare providers and pharmacists. This uncertainty can lead to delays in care, reluctance to prescribe or stock necessary medications, and confusion in emergency medical situations.
South Carolina already faces challenges related to maternal health and access to care. Policies that restrict commonly used medical treatments risk worsening those challenges rather than addressing them.
H.4760 places criminal law between patients and their doctors, with serious consequences for healthcare delivery across the state.
Petition by
Sponsored by
To:
South Carolina State Representative Weston Newton
From:
[Your Name]
We, the undersigned, strongly oppose H. 4760, a bill that would criminalize the use and provision of abortion-inducing medications, including mifepristone and misoprostol, and expand civil liability in ways that put health care providers and helpers at risk. We believe that medical decisions should be guided by patients and their doctors, not the criminal justice system. South Carolina should promote safe, accessible, evidence-based health care — not punitive laws that deter care and harm families.
Why We Oppose H. 4760:
1. It Targets Safe, Evidence-Based Medications--> Mifepristone and misoprostol are widely used in obstetrics and gynecology for both medication abortion and miscarriage care. Adding these drugs to the controlled substance schedule interferes with standard medical practice.
2. It Threatens Patients’ Access to Care--> Criminal and civil penalties will deter clinics and pharmacies from providing medication abortion and related reproductive health services, especially in rural or underserved communities.
3. It Expands Civil Lawsuits--> The bill allows broad civil liability for alleged harms, enabling lawsuits that could financially devastate individuals for private medical decisions.
4. It Disproportionately Harms Vulnerable Communities-->Those with the fewest resources, people in rural areas, people with low incomes, young people, and people of color, will be hit hardest by restricted access to medication and fear of legal consequences.
Our Demands:
We call on the Representative Weston Newton to-->
✔️ Reject H. 4760 in its current form
✔️ Protect reproductive health care and evidence-based medical practice
✔️ Keep criminal law out of personal, clinical health decisions
South Carolina families deserve access to safe, evidence-based care and the freedom to make medical decisions without fear of prosecution or financial ruin.