Governor Signs Groundbreaking Shield Law Expansion, Protecting PAs and Advancing Maternal Health
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 22, 2025
SPRINGFIELD, IL – The Illinois Academy of PAs (IAPA) applauds Governor JB Pritzker for signing House Bill 3637, a landmark measure that strengthens Illinois’ position as a national leader in safeguarding reproductive health care.
This bill expands Illinois’ existing medical shield law, ensuring that all health care providers—including Physician Associates (PAs)—are protected when providing reproductive and maternal health services. By broadening shield protections, the law affirms Illinois’ commitment to supporting clinicians who are dedicated to patient care, regardless of political pressures from outside the state.
In addition, HB 3637 introduces a first-of-its-kind amendment to Illinois’ Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Under the new law, medications that were once FDA-approved but later revoked for political—not scientific—reasons will still be considered legal to prescribe in Illinois if the World Health Organization (WHO) continues to recognize them as safe and effective. This ensures that providers can continue to prescribe evidence-based treatments such as mifepristone, a widely used medication for abortion and miscarriage care, without fear of violating state law.
“These protections are essential for ensuring that Illinois remains a place where patients can access comprehensive, science-based care and where providers can practice medicine without intimidation or interference,” said Hazel Domingo, PA-C, President of IAPA. “By explicitly including Physician Associates, this legislation strengthens our ability to stand alongside our patients in some of the most critical moments of their lives—particularly in maternal health.”
Illinois is the first state in the nation to adopt such protections in its Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, marking a bold step forward in defending reproductive rights and patient access.
The IAPA celebrates Governor Pritzker, bill sponsors, and legislative leaders for their commitment to protecting patients, advancing maternal health, and ensuring that PAs and all Illinois providers can deliver the highest standard of care.
