The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) recently overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating the federally protected right to abortion in the United States that stood for a half-century. SCOTUS stripped women and others who experience pregnancy of their fundamental human right to safe abortion as healthcare. This setback removes the constitutional right to bodily autonomy and puts many lives in danger. The ruling, which ignored the science underpinning abortion as private medical care, is expected to have disproportionately adverse effects on those who have been historically marginalized and disadvantaged, such as people of color, adolescents, the socioeconomically disadvantaged, and many others. Medical and public health societies around the country have condemned the decision and affirmed that the right to abortion is fundamental.

We offer our strongest support to fellow epidemiologists and everyone in the United States whose reproductive rights have been affected by the SCOTUS decision overturning the federal guarantee of the constitutional right to abortion. If you are looking for ways to get involved, please see these excellent resources put together by colleagues. As members of the community, we affirm the right to privacy, bodily autonomy, and reproductive healthcare and acknowledge the particular burden of this ruling on women and others who may become pregnant.

In solidarity,

Onyi Arah, Jennifer Ahern, Bill Miller, Jay Kaufman

DISCLAIMER: Although we currently serve or recently served as Officers of the Society for Epidemiologic Research, we make this statement as individuals. SER does not have a process for making public statements on behalf of the society but encourages individual members to get involved as best suits their values. Additionally, SER will soon host programming for members related to research into abortion and reproductive health justice, as well as the translation of such work.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT: The linked resources were compiled by SER members and abortion epidemiologists Ruvani Jayaweera and Caitlin Gerdts.