Stanford (Calif.) Medicine said it has a new committee to address medical, equity, safety, legal and other concerns arising from the Supreme Court's June 24 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
The organization — which comprises Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford Health Care and Stanford Children's Health — announced the Stanford Medicine Committee on Reproductive Health Access and Equity at an Aug. 23 StanfordMed LIVE event.
It also issued a news release about the committee on Aug. 29, citing a need to address healthcare and health equity challenges amid changes to abortion laws in many states.
"At Stanford Medicine, we recognize reproductive care — including safe access to abortions — as essential health care," Lloyd Minor, MD, dean of the Stanford medical school, said at the StanfordMed LIVE event, according to the release. "We are committed to enabling access to that care to the fullest extent of California law and to supporting science-backed health policies."
Dr. Minor, along with David Entwistle, president and CEO of Stanford Health Care, and Paul King, president and CEO of Stanford Medicine Children's Health, is an executive sponsor of the committee.
Ultimately, the three executive sponsors will receive recommendations after the committee members identify how Stanford Medicine can "support equitable, comprehensive, evidence-based reproductive care," Stanford Medicine said. The committee will also consider various other issues, including how Stanford Medicine can support reproductive health research, training and education.
Leaders of the committee are Yvonne Maldonado, MD, professor of pediatrics and of epidemiology and population health; Priya Singh, chief strategy officer and senior associate dean of Stanford Medicine; and Leslee Subak, MD, chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology. The committee has 25 members total.