FILE-Doctor Caitlin Bernard in Indianapolis on Sept. 28, 2022. (Kaiti Sullivan for The Washington Post via Getty Images) INDIANAPOLIS - An Indiana board is set to hear allegations Thursday that an Indianapolis doctor should face disciplinary action after she spoke publicly about providing an abortion to a 10-year-old rape victim from neighboring Ohio.The Medical Licensing Board’s hearing comes after Indiana's Republican attorney general accused Dr.
Caitlin Bernard of violating state law by not reporting the girl’s child abuse to Indiana authorities. She's also accused of breaking federal patient privacy laws by telling a newspaper reporter about the girl’s treatment.Bernard and her attorneys maintain that the doctor followed Indiana’s child abuse reporting requirements as the girl’s rape was already being investigated by Ohio authorities.
Bernard’s lawyers also say she didn’t release any identifying information about the girl that would break privacy laws.RELATED: Indiana doctor who provided abortion drugs to 10-year-old rape victim defends actions in courtThe Indianapolis Star cited the girl’s case in a July 1 article that sparked a national political uproar in the weeks after the U.S.
Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last June, putting into effect an Ohio law that prohibited abortions after six weeks of pregnancy.