Planned Parenthood, ACLU Fight Missouri AG’s Demand for Abortion Patients’ Health Files

The Missouri Attorney General's Office is demanding health records and internal papers from Planned Parenthood clinics in a legal struggle over abortion rules, which reproductive rights groups describe as a hazardous invasion of patient privacy.

The attorney general has subpoenaed patient medical data, incident reports, “adverse event documentation,” and patient care conversations, according to court filings. Subpoenas also demand operational protocols, equipment records, contracts, and compliance documents from Planned Parenthood Great Plains and Great Rivers.

“Despite the Missouri attorney general’s blatant attempts to overturn the will of the people, all patients expect and have the right to private medical records,” said Planned Parenthood Great Plains, Great Rivers, and the ACLU of Missouri. Politicians should not be in the exam room with patients and doctors.

In addition to document requests, two former Planned Parenthood Great Rivers board members, a contracted physician, and the chief medical officer of Planned Parenthood Great Plains were subpoenaed during a Sept. 10 court recess. The clinics' attorneys are urging Jackson County Circuit Judge Jerri Zhang to dismiss the subpoenas as “nothing more than an attempt to harass” Planned Parenthood.

This dispute comes less than a year after Missouri voters enacted a constitutional amendment guaranteeing reproductive health rights, including abortion up to fetal viability. The day after that vote, Planned Parenthood and the ACLU sued various states to overturn abortion restrictions as illegal.

Planned Parenthood can resume abortion procedures in Kansas City (State of Missouri), Columbia, and St. Louis after Judge Zhang suspended some of those guidelines. The trial is in January. The clinics want to relieve restrictions on prescribing abortion medicines, such as limits on mifepristone and misoprostol.

The attorney general's request for patient data mirrors a health privacy dispute. Last month, the Missouri Court of Appeals allowed the attorney general to request limited health data from the Washington University Transgender Center under more onerous restrictions.

The office claimed it was a “health oversight agency” and could access HIPAA-protected medical information. The appellate court limited disclosure to “minimum necessary” information.

Missouri's top prosecutor is under fire again for mixing law enforcement oversight and patient confidentiality in another subpoena fight.  Missourians could not get medication abortions from in-state physicians as of Oct. 6.

New Attorney General Catherine Hanaway did not reply to calls for comment Monday, Oct. 6.

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