Texas has sued the Biden administration in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas to prevent the administration from asking pharmacies to fill reproductive health prescriptions.
The Biden administration had stated in July 2022 that the refusal to fill such prescriptions could violate federal law.
The lawsuit involves roughly 60,000 U.S. retail pharmacies and was filed against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
There has been no immediate response from the department.
The State of Texas has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration to prevent pharmacies from dispensing reproductive health prescriptions for drugs that could terminate a pregnancy.
The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
The Biden administration stated in July 2022 that pharmacies refusing to fill such prescriptions could violate federal law.
This guidance from the Biden administration involving retail pharmacies across the country came days after Biden signed an executive order easing access to services to terminate pregnancies.
This came about after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the landmark Roe v.
Wade ruling that made abortions legal nationwide.
Texas, however, has enacted stringent laws against reproductive health rights in its state, including a law that forbids performing abortions after a heartbeat is detected, which can be as early as six weeks into pregnancy.
The lawsuit in Texas has highlighted the opposing views on reproductive health rights and the role of government in private healthcare decisions.
"Texas seeks to protect the rights of individuals and health care providers to decline to participate in procedures that violate their consciences," Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said.
Conversely, the Biden administration's guidance is based on the view that reproductive health services are critical to public health and that it is crucial to ensure that all Americans have access to such services.