Billboard Campaign Highlights UPCs’ Lack of Transparency and Privacy Standards in Arkansas
ARKANSAS — Today, Mayday Health kicked off a three day mobile billboard tour across Arkansas, warning of the dangers of Unregulated Pregnancy Clinics (UPCs), powered by research conducted by Reproductive Health and Freedom Watch, an organization that exposes and counters efforts to obstruct access to reproductive and maternal health care. The billboard tour will stop outside of five Arkansas UPCs and serve as a reminder of the significant challenges that UPCs pose to achieving high-quality reproductive and maternal health care and patient privacy. Reproductive Health and Freedom Watch Executive Director Debra Rosen is available to discuss the billboards and UPCs in Arkansas – reach out to ro@focalpointstrategygroup.com.
The billboards will be displayed at the following locations on these dates:
Tuesday, March 4, 2025
- 1st Choice Pregnancy Medical Center, 4622 Grand Ave. Fort Smith, AR
- Choices Pregnancy Resource Center, 911 W. B St. Russellville, AR
Wednesday, March 5, 2025
- Arkansas Pregnancy Resource Center, 2 Office Park Dr, Little Rock, AR
Thursday, March 6, 2025
- Options on Main, 910 South Main Street, Jonesboro, AR
- Options on Main, 322 S 12th St, Paragould, AR
UPCs do not appear to be subject to the same regulations as medical providers, placing unsuspecting clients at risk. Additionally, the data collected by UPCs appears to not be protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and not secure generally–just last year, one of the nation’s largest UPC networks experienced a massive data breach in Louisiana, exposing sensitive and private health information to the public. UPCs have become a billion-dollar industry, fueled in part by over $300 million in taxpayer dollars appropriated by anti-choice legislatures nationwide since SCOTUS overturned Roe v. Wade.
Arkansas is no exception. In 2024, Arkansas taxpayer funding doubled for UPCs. Despite the increase in taxpayer dollars going to this industry, there has been no increase in oversight and accountability. UPCs operating in Arkansas and receiving state funds are not subject to the same independent oversight as medical facilities.