Washington, D.C., USA: Nisha Verma, an obstetrician gynecologist of Indian origin, drew nationwide attention during a US Senate hearing on abortion medication after pushing back against repeated questioning by Republican Senator Josh Hawley. Verma described the exchange as divisive, and video clips of the moment spread rapidly on social media.

The exchange took place before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, which was reviewing the safety and regulation of medication abortion, including the use of mifepristone. Lawmakers said the hearing also focused on concerns about abortion pills being misused or taken under coercive conditions.

During the session, Hawley repeatedly pressed Verma to give a yes or no answer to whether men can become pregnant, a topic first raised by Senator Ashley Moody in reference to reports of abortion pills being obtained to pressure partners. Verma declined to give a binary response, saying her medical work involves caring for people with diverse identities and emphasizing inclusive, patient centered care.

“I am not really sure what the goal of the question is,” Verma said, adding that the framing itself was polarizing. Hawley countered that he was trying to establish what he called a biological reality and argued that medical policy should be rooted in science rather than politics.

Verma is a subspecialist in complex family planning and a senior reproductive health policy adviser at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She is also an adjunct assistant professor at Emory University School of Medicine and has testified before Congress on abortion restrictions. The hearing came a day after the Supreme Court of the United States heard arguments in cases involving transgender athletes, adding to the broader political context surrounding the exchange.