SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A new study shows demand for abortion medication skyrocketed following the leaked Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade last month.
The study was conducted by researchers from the Qualcomm Institute at the University of California San Diego and researchers at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania.
"We saw in record numbers women went online and searched for abortion medications," said Dr. John Ayers, the senior study author at UC San Diego.
The study states there were 350,000 searches for abortion medications in the days following the leak.
"Not only was there a record national demand but that the amount of searches were higher in states that had more restrictive reproductive rights," said Ayers.
Ayers said this could mean women may go to great lengths to obtain the pills, regardless if a prescription is required.
It's something Dr. Jennefer Russo, the Senior Medical Advisor of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, said she's deeply concerned about.
"I'm really worried about black market medications. Pills that don't actually contain the medication. The possibility of stockpiling medication and then not having it accessible to people who actually need it," Russo said.
Russo said the pill is typically the preferred method for women seeking an abortion.
Last year, the FDA approved abortion pills to be distributed through the mail instead of in person.
Meanwhile, Ayers said the increase in interest needs to be met with more access to online information on how women can legally and safely obtain abortion medications.
"We need to think about harm reduction," he said. "We can do better than hope and pray that people don't make a tragic mistake that ends their lives or have other consequences."
