A federal appeals court on Feb. 24 upheld the Trump administration's changes to Title X funding, which prohibit taxpayer-funded family planning clinics from performing or providing referrals for abortions, reports Bloomberg.
The Ninth Circuit's decision vacates orders made by federal courts in California, Oregon and Washington to block the rule from taking effect. The court disagreed with the argument that the Title X rule "gags" providers from discussing abortions, as many family planning clinics have alleged.
The court's decision means many family planning clinics will have to choose between receiving Title X funding or withdrawing from the program and seeking funding through donations and private grants.
"This government overreach and interference demands that physicians violate their ethical obligations — prohibiting open, frank conversations with patients about all their healthcare options — if they want to continue treating patients under the Title X program," the American Medical Association said in a statement to Becker's.