The Supreme Court has officially struck down Roe v. Wade and set our country back decades in a decision that has ripped away the right to safe abortion from millions of people. Although we knew this decision was coming, it’s still shocking that our fundamental right to bodily autonomy has been taken away.

As doctors, this ruling deeply impairs our ability to treat our patients. We entered medicine to care for people and can now no longer provide the full range of medical care our patients need. That includes abortion. Reproductive rights are an essential part of healthcare and are critical to a person’s physical, mental, emotional and financial well-being.

This decision is a blow to our public health and safety and is not rooted in any evidence-based facts or reason. It will ultimately lead to significant harm for people who can get pregnant in the form of unsafe back-alley abortions, denied medical care, domestic violence, mental health issues, and more. This is especially true for already marginalized people of color, immigrant, poor, and LGBTQ+ communities.

Now is the time to expand healthcare, not limit it. There are no words to express our profound sadness and anger that abortion is now criminalized. Today’s decision only leaves us more determined than ever to fight for our rights and the well-being of our communities. We refuse to stay silent on this unconscionable and regressive decision. Our commitment to our patients requires that we advocate to ensure the full spectrum of care for people and their families. This ruling is only the beginning of a continuous chain to abolish and impair basic human rights, and it decreases the progress we have made as a society. Reproductive justice for everyone is essential and we are committed to doing everything in our power to achieve it.