California sues two Christian anti-abortion groups over unproven abortion-pill reversal claims

California’s Attorney General has brought a false-advertising suit against the national anti-abortion network Heartbeat International and its affiliate RealOptions Obria, accusing them of promoting a dubious “abortion pill reversal” protocol that uses high-dose progesterone to counteract medication abortions. State lawyers argue the treatment lacks credible scientific support and may be harmful, seeking $20 million in penalties under state unfair-competition statutes.

The defendants claim thousands of women have given birth after the regimen and assert the practice is protected speech, noting the service is offered at no charge. A judge in Alameda County will decide whether the First Amendment shields the groups or whether their statements constitute illegal commercial speech. The dispute follows similar rulings in New York and Kansas that limited the reach of false-advertising claims against abortion-pill reversal advocates. Experts say the outcome could influence how crisis pregnancy centers are regulated nationwide.