AG Sues Group Behind New Riverhead Pregnancy Center 

The operators of a newly opened Soundview Pregnancy Services in Riverhead have been accused of falsely advertising unproven abortion reversal treatments, according to a lawsuit that New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office filed on May 6.

The so-called crisis pregnancy center is one of three on Long Island operated by The Care Center, which was among 11 pro-life pregnancy organizations and an anti-abortion group named as defendants in the suit.

“Abortions cannot be reversed. Any treatments that claim to do so are made without scientific evidence and could be unsafe,” James said. “Heartbeat International and the other crisis pregnancy center defendants are spreading dangerous misinformation by advertising ‘abortion reversals’ without any medical and scientific proof.”

The suit comes amid an increase in attacks on reproductive health care nationwide following the U.S. Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, effectively leaving the legality of abortions up to the states.

Heartbeat and the centers that aim to prevent people from obtaining abortions advertise “Abortion Pill Reversal” (APR) as a safe and effective treatment that they claim can “reverse” medication abortions, James said. But the only clinical trial conducted to evaluate APR had to be halted due to concerns about patient safety and major medical associations such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) have cautioned that APR is not backed by science and does not meet clinical standards. Riverhead officials last month held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new center advertising APR as a service it provides.

The suit seeks to hold the groups to the same standard as any other entity advertising health care services in addition to the payment of civil penalties for violations of the law.