Georgia’s top health official dismissed all members of a state committee that investigates pregnancy-related maternal deaths after the leak, presumably by a committee member, of information about two such deaths.
In a letter first reported by ProPublica and dated Nov. 8, state public health commissioner Dr. Kathleen Toomey said whoever shared the information violated state law and a confidential agreement signed by committee members. An agency investigation wasn’t able to identify the leaker.
ProPublica reported in September that internal reports showed the Georgia Maternal Mortality Review Committee determined the deaths of two women were preventable, but found that doctors were hesitant to perform a procedure that could have saved their lives because of the state’s strict abortion policies.
ProPublica said the dismissal of the board members came as a result of it obtaining the internal reports on the two deaths, those of Amber Thurman and Candi Miller.