Protection of Conscience Project Library
Service, not Servitude
Extract
“Refusal clauses” and “conscience exceptions,” which allow US doctors, nurses, and healthcare workers to refuse to provide certain types of health care to patients, are being extended to hospitals, insurance companies, pharmacies, and managed care companies.
Tanne JH. “Conscience” clauses allow US corporate providers to refuse care. Br Med J. 2004;329(7464):476.
Extract
Women in some parts of England have to wait up to two months from first seeking advice about an abortion to having the procedure, says a survey. The delays in referral mean that many women are presenting to services later than nine weeks pregnant and cannot be considered for early medical termination using the abortion pill, mifepristone, despite this being a popular option among women. . .The survey, which was conducted by Voice for Choice—an alliance of national pro-choice organisations including British Pregnancy Advisory Service, Marie Stopes International, and the Family Planning Association—reviewed the abortion services of 243 primary care trusts.
Singh D. Delays in abortion referrals limit women’s choices, says report. Br Med J. 2004;328(7455):1518e.
Extract
Anti-abortion groups should welcome proposed new regulation allowing patients to access emergency contraception without a prescription, says the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada. . . . Emergency contraception, or the “morning after pill,” is sold in Canada as levonorgestrel (Plan B). If taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse, it can prevent ovulation, or interfere with fertilization, or implantation. . .The Catholic Organization for Life and Family and other anti-abortion groups believe pregnancy begins with conception, not implantation. In a letter to Health Canada, the organization called levonorgestrel an “abortifacient.”.
Sibbald B. Emergency contraception could lower abortion rate. Can Med Assoc J. 2004 Jun 22;170(13):1903.
Extract
Two years after the US government approved the use of mifepristone (RU-486), the “abortion pill’s” popularity has nearly doubled. . . . Mifepristone, a progesterone blocker, induces abortion in women who are up to 8 weeks’ pregnant.
Sibbald B. News@a glance: “Abortion pill” use doubles. Can Med Assoc J. 2003 Aug 19;169(4):330.
Extract
James Kopp has been found guilty of murdering New York state obstetrician Dr. Barnett Slepian, but police are still trying to close other cases involving Canadian physicians who were shot. Kopp remains a suspect in the non- fatal shootings of physicians who provided abortions in Winnipeg, Vancouver and Ancaster, Ont. He has been charged in the last case — Dr. Hugh Short was shot in the right arm as he sat in his home Nov. 10, 1995 (CMAJ 1998;159[9]:1153-5) — but there is in- sufficient evidence linking him to the Winnipeg or Vancouver cases.
Sibbald B. Police still investigating sniper attacks on MDs. Can Med Assoc J. 2003 May 27;168(11):1456.
Extract
The number of prescriptions issued for mifepristone (RU-486), the “abortion pill” introduced in the US 2 years ago, is increasing more rapidly than expected, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) says. . . The PPFA says the success of the new method is important because “the lack of abortion providers is an acute problem in the United States.”.
Sibbald B. Popularity of “abortion pill” grows in US. Can Med Assoc J. 2003 Jan 21;168(2):211.
Extract
Following a Feb. 16 meeting with the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) and 4 other organizations, Health Canada has started working toward making emergency postcoital contraception available without a prescription across the country . . . Senikas says some opponents equate EPC with abortion and “have this misplaced notion that emergency contraception is like RU-486. It’s not. It will never displace a pregnancy.
Sibbald B. Over-the-counter emergency contraception available soon across the country? Can Med Assoc J. 2001 Mar 20;164(6):849.
Extract
The rate of pregnancy among Canadian teenagers aged 15 to 19 has declined by about 20% since 1974 . . . However, the proportion of live births resulting from these pregnancies has decreased relative to the proportion of teenagers receiving abortions.
Buske L. Teen pregnancy rate down, abortion rate up. Can Med Assoc J. 2001;164(3):395.
Extract
After 17 years of debate, mifepristone (RU 486), the controversial pill that induces early abortion, is for sale in the US. The drug’s Canadian proponents hope this country will soon follow suit. . . . The SOGC passed a resolution in 1992 supporting the “legal availability” of antiprogesterone steroids such as mifepristone in order to give “Canadian women access to treatment of proven efficacy.” Lalonde says withholding approval is an “insult to women — they’re being treated like babies, being refused access to this and that when it comes to their health.” Not everyone is as enthusiastic. Mary Ellen Douglas, national organizer for Canada’s Campaign Life Coalition (www.lifesite.net), told CMAJ: “The result of taking this pill is a dead baby, and that’s certainly not a drug we need here.”
Sibbald B. Will Canada follow US lead on RU486?. Can Med Assoc J. 2001 Jan 09;164(1):82.
Extract
Mifepristone, the controversial “abortion pill,” may soon be available in the US, but the distribution rules may be so strict that they “hurt access.”. . . Mifepristone has been available to women in many European countries for more than a decade. More than 500 000 women worldwide have used it, with few complications reported. When taken with misoprostol, which has already been approved in Canada, mifepristone causes abortion – in essence a miscarriage – in 95% of women who are no more than 49 days pregnant.
Sibbald B. FDA considering restricted access to “abortion pill”. Can Med Assoc J. 2000 Sep 5;163(5):586.