The Abortion Coalition for Telemedicine (ACT) is the only nationwide advocacy organization dedicated to advancing telemedicine abortion. Scout Labs serves as their agency of record. ACT ensures patients – anywhere in the US and regardless of income level – can access timely, affordable, telemedicine abortion through policy change, support for licensed clinicians, legal advocacy, and public outreach. ACT is dedicated to protecting abortion providers delivering care in all 50 states by advocating for shield laws and developing groundbreaking medical malpractice insurance. They also provide education, ensuring more people know telemedicine abortion and miscarriage care is an option by working with providers to deliver the most up-to-date legal and medical information for the highest-quality care. Scout Lab's main objective has been to help ACT gain traction and awareness in the media.
A key focus of our work has been managing crisis communications and litigation messaging in response to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s politically motivated lawsuit against ACT’s Co-Founder Maggie Carpenter. This lawsuit represents a direct attack on reproductive rights and aims to shut down telemedicine abortion nationwide. In response, Scout Lab deployed a rapid crisis communications strategy, issuing a strong public statement that reinforced the safety, efficacy, and necessity of medication abortion. Beyond crisis response, Scout Lab’s media and thought leadership strategy has elevated ACT’s experts as authoritative voices in reproductive rights, telemedicine, and legal protections for abortion providers and patients. Our messaging has been instrumental in shifting the national conversation, reinforcing the critical role telemedicine abortion plays in expanding access to care, particularly in states with restrictive abortion laws. Through targeted media outreach and proactive storytelling, we have framed ACT as not only a key advocate but also a necessary force in shaping the future of reproductive healthcare. We also executed year-round thought leadership and media strategy to position ACT’s co-founder, Julie F. Kay, as a leading voice in reproductive rights.
Another focus of the campaign was combatting misinformation around abortion care in the wake of legal attacks against ACT’s co-founder Dr. Carpenter. From there, the campaign grew to establish ACT as the national authority on telemedicine abortion, drive awareness and support for shield laws, and normalize medication abortion in public discourse. ACT sought to increase earned media coverage, elevate Julie F. Kay as a legal thought leader, grow donor support, and combat widespread misinformation around the pending legal cases. By integrating proactive media relations and educational content, ACT worked to reach patients, policymakers, and new audiences nationwide with accurate information.
The biggest challenge in the campaign was the persistent misinformation from anti-abortion organizations and media. These anti-abortion disinformation campaigns created confusion around the legality, safety, and science of telemedicine abortion, demanding a constant drumbeat of fact-checking and education. This was also present in coverage of Dr. Carpenter’s legal battle, requiring messaging from ACT to ensure the right story was being told. Additionally, Dr. Carpenter wasn’t able to speak to media herself due to the ongoing case. As a result, we relied on Julie F. Kay to share ACT’s POV, while also fielding challenging questions about Dr. Carpenter. We had to manage shifting political climates, legal opposition, and provider uncertainty to break through the noise and ensure ACT’s message was heard. Despite these barriers, the campaign maintained momentum and we scaled ACT’s reach through strategic communications, coalition-building, and narrative reframing.
ACT has significantly elevated the national conversation around telemedicine abortion and shield laws, positioning itself as a trusted authority and change agent. Scout Lab secured major national and international media coverage, including placements in The New York Times, NPR’s Up First, CNN, BBC, Reuters, MSNBC, and The Guardian, as well as a feature in Glamour to tell Dr. Carpenter’s story from her co-founder’s POV. Julie F. Kay was featured in key broadcast segments including CNN’s Laura Coates Live, MSNBC’s The Last Word with Lawrence O’Donnell, and international outlets including France24, solidifying her role as a leading legal expert on reproductive rights. This was furthered by the placement of op-eds in Slate, Newsweek, and The Hill. Regionally, ACT saw sustained engagement from outlets in impacted communities, with its statements on the key legal cases printed across regional outlets, helping to localize the issue of access. With over 200 million media impressions and 90% pull through of key messaging, ACT’s stance on reproductive rights has reached local, national and international audiences, helping to shape public perception and policy discussions. Our ability to secure top-tier placements, execute rapid-response communications, and maintain clear, authoritative messaging has successfully positioned ACT as the leading voice in telemedicine abortion advocacy. Scout Lab remains dedicated to ensuring ACT’s mission is heard, empowering them to continue their fight for safe, accessible, and legally protected abortion care.
