Pro-Life Pediatric Group Hit by 'Malicious Cyberattack' and 'Bullying Tactics'

The pro-life American College of Pediatricians has become the target of ongoing, malicious cyberattacks after a federal judge ruled in its favor and halted the Food and Drug Administration's approval of mifepristone, a drug used in chemical abortions.

But the group says they will "not be intimidated" and will continue to fight for the lives of the unborn.

The American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds) was founded by "a group of concerned physicians who saw the need for a pediatric organization that would not be influenced by the politically driven pronouncements of the day."

Dr. Jill Simons, a board-certified pediatrician, and ACPeds' executive director, told the Daily Signal, that she contacted law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, after hackers attempted to access the group's website servers, email accounts, financial accounts, and social media accounts on April 24. 

Their cyber security software stopped the breach attempts except for one – an archived website unused since 2019. 

"This attack was intended to intimidate and incapacitate, and it will be costly to recover, but we will not be intimidated by these illegal bullying tactics that amount to a hate crime," Simons said in a statement.

She added, "We will continue to promote the health and well-being of children by protecting the rights of born and preborn children, promoting biological integrity, and defending conscience rights for healthcare professionals." 

Information from the group's Google Drive was also leaked to a writer at Wired, who then published a negative article on the organization.

The ACPeds joins a whole host of pro-life groups, institutions, and individuals who have faced attacks since the Supreme Court overturned Roe. V. Wade, last June. 

Simons believes they are under attack because they are part of a group of plaintiffs in a case where a federal judge suspended the FDA's approval of the abortion pill. 

***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***

On April 7, ACPeds, the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Christian Medical and Dental Associations brought a case against the FDA.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk ruled the FDA "exceeded its authority" when it rushed the approval of mifepristone using an accelerated process in 2000. 

However, the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed the FDA to keep distributing the chemical abortion drug through the mail while the case proceeds. The high court ruled on April 21 that the 5th Circuit must hear arguments in the case.

While awaiting a decision in the case, Simons says the other plaintiffs are also receiving similar threats.  

"They don't want to debate us because they can't beat us on the facts and the science. They can't even beat us on common sense," she told the Daily Signal. "Last week there was a coordinated, concerted attack on several of our organization's key structures—our key technology structures, our databases, our financial accounts. … This was professional, and it was unrelenting."

ACPeds also takes a stand against gender-altering procedures on minors and points out that puberty blockers can cause "many serious permanent side effects including osteoporosis, mood disorders, seizures, cognitive impairment" as well as sterility. 

On April 24, the Twitter account AnonOpsUnited called the pediatricians' organization a "fringe anti-LGBTQ hate group that masquerades as the premier U.S. association of pediatricians to push anti-LGBTQ junk science."

"The American College of Pediatricians is under attack for one reason—because its members publicly speak the truth and protect innocent children from the Left's dangerous pathologies," the conservative Heritage Foundation's Roger Severino said in a statement. "Because the radical Left can't win in court or the ballot box, they resort to crime, intimidation, and doxxing. This assault on ACPeds is just further confirmation."

"We are not alone in this battle for the well-being of children, and we are going to get through this," Simons said. "Believe me, we are going to be stronger than ever. We've just begun to fight, and this has awakened a sleeping giant. We will not be intimidated."