The implicated crisis pregnancy centers are said to exploit this limited understanding by prominently offering privacy assurances that invoke HIPAA on their websites and other public communications, misleading consumers about the legal protections actually afforded to them.
Call for Transparency and Accountability
The Campaign for Accountability’s complaints highlight a troubling lack of transparency in how these centers manage and share the health information they collect. The urgency of these concerns has been amplified by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned the constitutional right to abortion, prompting stringent new state laws.
“No one should have to worry about their personal health information falling into the hands of anyone who might use that information against them,” Kuppersmith emphasized. The watchdog group is pressing for a thorough investigation into the alleged deceptive representations by the crisis pregnancy centers concerning their privacy practices.
Ongoing Legal Scrutiny
Some state attorneys general had already been scrutinizing these crisis pregnancy centers. Notably, in May 2022, Washington Attorney General Robert Ferguson initiated an investigation into Obria Group Inc. for potentially misleading marketing practices related to “abortion pill reversal.” New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin also issued a consumer alert in December 2022 about the deceptive tactics of crisis pregnancy centers in the state.
