Merle Hoffman (born March 6, 1946) is an American journalist, activist, and healthcare pioneer. Shortly after New York State legalized abortion in 1970, three years before the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision legalized abortion nationally, Hoffman helped establish one of the country's first ambulatory abortion centers, Flushing Women's Medical Center in 1971. It was the forerunner of Choices Women's Medical Center which Hoffman founded and serves as president and CEO. Today Choices is one of the nation's largest and most comprehensive women's medical facilities, providing abortion services to 24 weeks of pregnancy, birth control, gynecology, prenatal care, counseling services, telemedicine, and specialized care for teens and the LGBTQ community, along with extensive educational outreac