A California health clinic has sued the state's attorney general, alleging that the state is trying to stifle free speech and religious rights by pursuing false advertising claims against an organization that promotes abortion pill reversal treatment.
Culture of Life Family Services Inc., a Catholic clinic in San Diego, argues that its statements about the safety and effectiveness of the procedure are protected by the First Amendment.
The clinic offers the treatment for free to those who cannot afford it, and claims it has "zero economic motivation" to advertise. The clinic argues that the state's lawsuit against Heartbeat International, a trade group that represents anti-abortion resource organizations, is an attempt to suppress its own advocacy for the treatment.
The attorney general's office, however, maintains that the lawsuit is not challenging the legality of the treatment itself, but rather eight statements made on Heartbeat International's websites that they claim are false and misleading.
These statements include claims about the treatment's success rate, effectiveness beyond a certain time window, and lack of life-threatening side effects. The attorney general's office disputes these claims based on medical evidence.
The case is ongoing, with the judge taking both attorneys' arguments under submission.