Democracy Forward CEO Releases Statement Regarding Deanda v Becerra Ruling

TEXAS – Yesterday, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit affirmed a decision from a lower court in Deanda v. Becerra that the federal Title X statute does not preempt a state law requiring parental consent before prescribing birth control to teenagers.

The Fifth Circuit decision contradicts federal law and is the latest high-profile decision relating to birth control access since the disastrous Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. Democracy Forward represented hundreds of thousands of health professionals in filing an amicus brief in the case. 

Democracy Forward President and CEO Skye Perryman released the following statement in response to the Fifth Circuit ruling. 

“Barriers to basic medical care are threats to a free and democratic society, and the appeals court’s ruling will further threaten access to healthcare for women in Texas. This ruling goes against all precedent, risking devastating effects for young people in Texas, including increasing the risk of unintended pregnancy and untreated sexually transmitted infection. 

“While clinicians of course encourage adolescents to include parents and guardians in their care, research has shown that adolescents who lack access to confidential care are more likely to withhold information from their health care providers, delay care, or not seek help at all. Young people who aren’t comfortable involving a parent shouldn’t be denied this essential health care, and this ruling will do real harm to real people.

“This continues a concerning trend of extremists not stopping at anti-abortion efforts, but additionally moving on to attack access to contraception and family planning. Democracy Forward is proud to fight for women in Texas and we will continue to work with health professionals to seek to preserve access to essential health care.” 

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