(February 12, 2024 – South Bend, Indiana) During an emergency hearing on February 11, 2025, an Indiana court heard arguments in a lawsuit brought by two abortion doctors, Drs. Caitlin Bernard and Caroline Rouse, against Voices for Life and the Indiana State Health Commissioner, to prevent the release of Termination of Pregnancy Reports (TPRs). In response to a settlement agreement between Indiana-based pro-life organization Voices for Life and the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH), which secures the release of TPRs, the two Indiana abortion doctors have sued to block the release of these public abortion records.

The lawsuit filed by Drs. Bernard and Rouse argues that TPRs should be considered confidential patient medical records, even though these reports do not include patient identifying information. Indiana abortion providers are required by law to submit individual reports, without patient names or other identifying factors, to improve maternal health and to ensure Indiana’s abortion industry follows state law. TPRs are not considered confidential medical records under Indiana law and historically, the IDOH has routinely released TPRs upon request as public records.

The settlement between Voices for Life and the IDOH ensures that the TPRs will be made publicly available upon lawful request, with minimal redactions to protect patient identities. This policy not only ensures transparency and public accountability but also upholds the public’s right to access information regarding the practices of the abortion industry, in line with state law. By challenging the release of these reports, Drs. Bernard and Rouse are attempting to shield the abortion industry from scrutiny, preventing the public from learning whether licensed healthcare providers are fully complying with Indiana's legal protections for the unborn.

Thomas Olp, Thomas More Society Executive Vice President, reacted: “It’s no secret that the abortion industry seeks to avoid scrutiny whenever it can. This lawsuit, filed by two Indiana abortion doctors, is just another blatant attempt to block transparency and evade accountability. To ensure that the Hoosier State’s abortion industry is following the law, Termination of Pregnancy Reports must be released as public records, as our recent settlement with the Indiana Department of Health makes clear. On behalf of our client, Voices for Life, we look forward to fighting back against Indiana’s abortion industry in court.”

Melanie Garcia Lyon, Executive Director of Voices for Life, added: “Voices for Life will continue working with the Thomas More Society to ensure accountability for the Indiana abortion industry. The public release of terminated pregnancy reports has always been about evaluating provider compliance with state abortion regulations that protect vulnerable women and children. Dr. Caitlin Bernard’s claim that this lawsuit is about protecting patient privacy rings hollow given that she exploited a minor patient’s trauma for her own political gain. These abortionists will stop at nothing to hide these reports, and we can only wonder what they are afraid of coming to light.”

Read the Memorandum in Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion for Temporary Restraining Order, filed by Thomas More Society attorneys on February 11, 2025, in Caitlin Bernard, M.D. and Caroline Rouse, M.D. v. Indiana State Health Commissioner and Voices for Life, here.

Read the Settlement Agreement in Voices for Life, Inc. v. Indiana Department of Health, et al., agreed to on February 3, 2025, here.