§ 63-6-1104 — Distribution of abortion-inducing drugs

(a) Because the failure and complication rates from a chemical abortion increase with advancing gestational age and because the physical symptoms of chemical abortion can be identical to the symptoms of ectopic pregnancy and abortion-inducing drugs do not treat ectopic pregnancies and are contraindicated in ectopic pregnancies, a qualified physician providing an abortion-inducing drug shall examine the patient in person and, prior to providing an abortion-inducing drug: (1) Independently verify that a pregnancy exists; (2) Determine the patient's blood type, and, if the patient is Rh negative, offer to administer RhoGAM at the time of the abortion; (3) Inform the patient that the patient may see the remains of the unborn child in the process of completing the abortion; and (4) Document, in the patient's medical chart, the gestational age and intrauterine location of the pregnancy, and whether the patient received treatment for Rh negativity, as diagnosed by the most accurate standard of medical care. (b) A qualified physician providing an abortion-inducing drug must be credentialed and competent to handle complication management, including emergency transfer, or must have a signed agreement with an associated physician who is credentialed to handle complications and be able to produce the signed agreement on demand by the patient or the department. The qualified physician providing an abortion-inducing drug to a patient shall provide the patient with the name and phone number of the associated physician. (c) A qualified physician providing an abortion-inducing drug, or an agent of the qualified physician, shall schedule a follow-up visit for the patient at approximately seven (7) to fourteen (14) days after administration of the abortion-inducing drug to confirm that the pregnancy is completely terminated and to assess the degree of bleeding. The qualified physician shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure that the patient returns for the scheduled appointment. A brief description of the efforts made to comply with this subsection (c), including the date, time, and identification by name of the individual making the efforts, must be included in the patient's medical record.

Legislative History

Added by 2022 Tenn. Acts, ch. 1001, s 3, eff. 1/1/2023.