RELEASE: Court Hearing Today Reveals Deficiencies in BSU Abortion Study Methodology, Underlying Data

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 23, 2026

BOISE – Ada County Judge Nancy A. Baskin today heard arguments in a lawsuit filed by Idaho Family Policy Center against Boise State University for failing to provide public records related to a highly contested abortion study. The judge ordered Boise State to submit documents to the court for review, and stated she will issue a written ruling at a later time.

IFPC had requested data, documents, and communications related to the study, which claims that OB/GYNs are leaving Idaho because of our pro-life laws. Some details from the study were published in a research letter in JAMA Network Open. That research letter states that the BSU Institutional Review Board approved the study.

BSU admitted in the hearing today that researchers did not maintain any records pertaining to how they determined whether doctors had left the state and were no longer practicing. Judge Baskin responded by noting that the lack of records “seems like an unusual protocol for anything of a scientific nature.”

According to the briefing filed by Boise State University, university officials determined whether they would comply with the public records request depending on the “practical impact” of releasing the documents. BSU’s briefing indicates that many documents were never disclosed.

The briefing also indicates that the limited data used in the JAMA research letter and provided to IFPC was only a preliminary dataset—not even final data. The new filings also reveal that the various researchers involved in the study had separate versions of the study’s data and that not all researchers had access to the final dataset. These new revelations cast additional doubt on the accuracy of the findings that were published in the JAMA research letter.

IFPC has previously highlighted other concerns about the dataset used by the researchers—including data irregularities such as negative numbers of total doctors listed for some Idaho counties.

A statement from Blaine Conzatti, president of Idaho Family Policy Center:

We’re now eleven days from the November election, and Prop 1 organizers and their boosters in the media are still using this flawed JAMA study to push the false narrative that OBGYNs are leaving our state because of our pro-life laws.

The information revealed today not only illustrates the recklessness with which the JAMA study was conducted, but also what seems to be a coordinated attempt to conceal the truth from the public.

Idaho voters deserve to know the truth about whether doctors are actually leaving our state—and we hope that all relevant data, documents, and communications are released soon.

A statement from Isaac Helland, attorney at the IFPC Legal Center handling the case:

Boise State University has an unfortunate track record of avoiding public records requests. A free people should not tolerate a government that keeps its workings secret from its citizens, and we intend to hold them accountable for hiding this information from the public.

About Idaho Family Policy Center

Idaho Family Policy Center is a ministry that advances the lordship of Christ in the public square through engaging the church, promoting God-honoring public policy, and training statesmen. Visit IFPC's website at https://idahofamily.org/

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