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Louisiana's new abortion pill law may delay lifesaving care for women, doctors say

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Mifepristone and misoprostol will be reclassified as controlled substances in Louisiana .

It's a crime punishable by up to five years in prison to possess the drugs without a prescription.

Abortion is already banned in Louisiana with few exceptions.

The move, experts say, isn’t based on medical science but efforts to restrict access to abortion medications.

Anti-abortion group says physicians will continue to have access to misoprostol in medical situations.

New Orleans Health Department has received reports that pharmacists have refused to fill patients’ prescriptions.

Lawmakers added the drugs to the Schedule IV list following testimony from a state senator’s sister.

Some providers still have apprehensions about prescribing the drugs and others are unaware.

New Orleans health officials are educating providers as well, more recently holding a listening session earlier this month .

“Some providers across the state don’t even know this is happening,” she said.