Eli Lilly says it's "concerned" after Indiana's abortion legislation

INDIANAPOLIS — Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Company has released a statement over Senate Bill 1 in which they express a "concern" that this law will bring to the future of the company in Indiana.

One of the largest employers in the state, Eli Lilly has condemned the state's new abortion law. The company warned that the ban could lead it to reassess its presence in Indiana.

The company describes the law as one of the "most restrictive anti-abortion laws in the United States."

"Given this new law, we will be forced to plan for more employment growth outside our home state.” the statement said.

Indiana on Friday became the first state in the nation to approve such legislation since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a 1973 landmark case that had protected the right to abortion nationwide.

The ban, which takes effect on Sept. 15, includes some exceptions. Abortions will be permitted in cases of rape and incest, before 10 weeks post-fertilization; to protect the life and physical health of the mother; and if a fetus is diagnosed with a lethal anomaly. Victims of rape and incest won't be required to sign a notarized affidavit attesting to an attack, as had once been proposed.

Under the bill, abortions can only be performed in hospitals or outpatient centers owned by hospitals, meaning all abortion clinics will lose their licenses. A doctor who performs an illegal abortion or fails to file required reports will lose their medical license.