Arizona Mom Speaks out After Teenage Daughter Is Denied Arthritis Medication Due to Abortion Law

Kaitlin Preble Emma Thompson Juvenile idiopathic arthritis Methotrexate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC Gov. Doug Ducey anti-abortion Roe v. Wade Arizona Medical Association

By Camille Hutchison , Parent Herald Oct 10, 11:24 am

Kaitlin Preble of Tucson, Arizona, had gone to the local pharmacy every month for the past decade to get her daughter's prescription for methotrexate, a drug used to cure rheumatoid arthritis, among other things.

Preble's daughter, Emma Thompson, was diagnosed at age three with Juvenile Idiopathic arthritis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is an autoimmune disease that causes joint pain and inflammation in body parts such as hands, knees, and ankles.

Thompson, now 14, relies on methotrexate and a combination of medications to perform essential functions such as walking, brushing her hair, and attending school in person. Preble said her daughter has been prescribed the medication for the past ten years and had not encountered any difficulties accessing the drug. Days after the several total bans on abortion went into effect in Arizona; a pharmacist denied the mom the medication at her local Walgreens in late September.

The Arizona mom expressed her disbelief as she couldn't access the medication that her daughter needs, adding that she wants to know why they're not giving the medication despite it being essential.

"I was scared for my daughter. It's the unknown"

While methotrexate is prescribed to treat conditions like Crohn's disease, psoriasis, cancer, and arthritis, it can also be used at higher dosages to medically terminate pregnancies. The mom also believes the prescription for the medication was initially denied due to confusion under Arizona's abortion restrictions that were put in place after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade way back in June.

The 15-week abortion ban was signed into law in March 2022 by Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and went into effect in the state. On September 23, the state judge separately granted Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich's request to lift the request for an almost total abortion ban, passed in 1901, that allows exceptions to save the life of the mother.

Preble told Good Morning America (GMA) that she had been questioned when purchasing the prescription for methotrexate and was constantly asked how much she took and why she took it.

When she learned the medication could not be accessed anymore, she said, "I was scared for my daughter. It's the unknown." Preble stated that she had interacted with a pharmacy tech at Walgreen, who granted with the pharmacist on duty and gave her the medication.

"I don't know what the future holds right now"

The mom ended up leaving with the medication that day but with the thought that she doesn't know if it will be given to her the next time or if this one's the last time. "I don't know what the future holds right now," not only for Emma's case but also for little girls out there who need the said medication, whether it's for arthritis or Crohn's disease, not only girls but women in general.

A Walgreens spokesperson told GMA that the company cannot give any comment on individual patients but added that it's willing to help pharmacists fully understand the latest requirements in different states as the main focus is to provide the needs of the patients and ensure they have access to the certain medications they need.

Recently, the Arizona Medical Association and a physician filed a lawsuit requesting the court to provide clarity amid the substantial confusion over the state's abortion laws. The American College of Rheumatology also released a statement in July that calls for policymakers to continue making methotrexate accessible.