Alaska on Tuesday released for public comment a draft version of an abortion informed consent Web site, which was required to be created under a recently passed law (SB 30), the Anchorage Daily News reports (Potempa, Anchorage Daily News, 3/24). Gov. Frank Murkowski (R) in July 2004 signed the law establishing the Web site and requiring women seeking abortions to certify in writing that their doctors gave them the information from the site or other information that meets specific standards. The law requires the Web site to include information about fetal development; photographs of a fetus at four-week gestational increments; descriptions of various abortion procedures; possible risks and complications, including physical and psychological effects, associated with abortion procedures and childbirth; eligibility requirements for medical assistance benefits; child support orders; and various contraceptive options. The law also requires that all information included on the site be objective, unbiased and approved by a group of OB/GYN specialists appointed by the state medical board (Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 11/30/04). The public can submit comments about the Web site through April 25, according to the Daily News.

Early Reaction
Dr. Richard Mandsager, Alaska's public health director, said that the OB/GYNs who reviewed the site did a "good job" and that the information is "easy to understand," according to the Daily News. Anna Franks, executive director of Planned Parenthood of Alaska, said the site looks good upon first glance. Franks said she plans to examine the site more carefully to make sure that it includes only medically accurate information, adding, "We really put our trust in the system, and we're hoping for a good Web site that everyone can use." Karen Vosburgh, executive director of Alaska Right to Life, said the portions of the site dealing with the "physical and psychological" risks of abortion are "incomplete," according to the Daily News. "I'm not real impressed with the Web site, to tell you the truth," Vosburgh said (Anchorage Daily News, 3/24).