Pro-life doctors protected

Pro-life doctors protected by law...for now

Medical professionals who don't want to perform abortions or fill prescriptions that are contrary to their religious or ethical beliefs now have some help.
 
A federal law called 45 CFR Part 88 is already on the books to protect people in the profession on the basis of conscience, and former President George W. Bush implemented rules to enforce the law. Matt Bowman of Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) notes that Planned Parenthood and the ACLU have filed suit to block enforcement.
 
"Far from arguing from the idea of choice, Planned Parenthood and the ACLU and their allies are actually seeking to punish doctors for refusing to kill and make these doctors face dire consequences if they want to heal instead of kill," he notes.
 
ADF will be representing a long list of medical personnel who want to work on the basis of their conscience rather than the dictates of a court.
 
"[It includes] groups of pro-life doctors at the Christian Medical [& Dental] Association, the Catholic Medical Association, and the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists who do not want to face dire consequences just because they choose not to participate in abortion," he adds.
 
An ADF press release notes the three pro-life medical groups claim that denying rights of conscience could damage healthcare overall, possibly forcing medical professionals to relocate to freer jurisdictions or to leave the profession altogether.

Contact: Charlie Butts
Source: OneNewsNow
Source URL: http://www.onenewsnow.com
Publish Date: January 30, 2009
Link to this article:
http://www.ifrl.org/ifrl/news/090130_5.htm