Female Lawmakers Target Viagra in Response to Anti-Abortion Laws
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Stockbyte/Thinkstock(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — A third female lawmaker has shown her displeasure with the record number of anti-abortion measures passing across the country.
The bill introduced by Ohio state Sen. Nina Turner on March 2 targets men’s access to Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs known as PDE-5 inhibitors.
Her measure would require that a physician consult with a psychologist before prescribing the medication to a patient, as well as requiring that men taking the drug receive information about celibacy.
“The men in our lives, including members of the General Assembly, generously devote time to fundamental female reproductive issues. The least we can do is return the favor,” she said in a news release posted to her website. “By implementing more intensive screenings before prescribing the medication and requiring outpatient educational services, we can do more to prevent the potential side effects linked to PDE-5 inhibitors.”
Turner’s measure, State Bill 307, follows one currently in the House called the “Heartbeat” bill. That bill would prevent an abortion if a fetal heartbeat was detected, even if that occurred as early as six weeks into a pregnancy.
The Guttmacher Institute said on its website that 92 laws restricting access to abortion services were passed in the U.S. last year. The previous high was 34 in 2005.
Because of this, female lawmakers including Turner have responded with bills and amendments focusing on men’s health and targeting Viagra and vasectomies.
In Illinois, state Rep. Kelly Cassidy sponsored an amendment to a bill forcing women to get ultrasounds before an abortion that would force men who want Viagra to watch a graphic video of the drug’s potential side effects.
In Virginia, state Sen. Janet Howell pushed an amendment to the state’s ultrasound bill that required all men seeking Viagra to get a rectal examination.
“It is crucial that we take the appropriate steps to shelter vulnerable men from the potential side effects of these drugs,” Turner said in the news release. “When a man makes a crucial decision about his health and his body, he should be fully aware of the alternative options and the lifetime repercussions of that decision.”
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio