HHS Barred From Enforcing Abortion Privacy Rule Against Doctor

A Texas doctor doesn’t have to comply with a federal privacy rule that protects reproductive health-care information from unauthorized disclosures, a federal judge in the state said.

Carmen Purl demonstrated that she’s likely to win on her claim that the US Department of Health and Human Services exceeded its statutory authority when it adopted the provision, the US District Court for the Northern District of Texas said Sunday. She also showed that she and her medical practice are likely to suffer irreparable harm if the agency enforces the rule against her, Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk said.

The amended rule is ...