The Attorney General of Alabama has no plans to prosecute medical professionals or patients who undergo IVF procedures, following a controversial ruling from the state’s Supreme Court which rendered them vulnerable to legal action.
“Attorney General [Steve] Marshall has no intention of using the recent Alabama Supreme Court decision as a basis for prosecuting IVF families or providers,” said a statement from Katherine Robertson, the chief counsel in the AG’s office.
The announcement on Friday comes after three IVF clinics in the state put a pause on the procedure, and the National Infertility Association said that it would stop shipping frozen embryos to the state.
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The ruling, which stated that embryos are children, and therefore destroying frozen embryos constitutes the wrongful death of a minor under Alabama law, has elicited widespread support for in vitro fertilization, a procedure it directly threatens.
On Friday, Republicans were urged to support IVF and reject any possible restrictions on the fertility program, because the ruling might serve as “fodder for Democrats hoping to manipulate the abortion issue for electoral gain.” In recent months, Republicans have been forced to pivot as GOP voters failed to mobilize to restrict abortion, and Democratic voters came out in droves to protect the right.
Former President Donald Trump also jumped on the PR bandwagon, and took to Truth Social on Friday to communicate his support for IVF, urging lawmakers to find a solution to the chaos they’ve created.
“Like the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY of Americans, including the VAST MAJORITY of Republicans, Conservatives, Christians, and Pro-Life Americans, I strongly support the availability of IVF for couples who are trying to have a precious baby,” he wrote.
