[Pflienews] PharmFacts E-News Update: IN, PA move on Conscience Clauses
PFLI PharmAid Center
pfli at pfli.org
Sat Feb 2 13:05:25 MST 2008
*PharmFacts E-News Update -- 2 Feb 2008 AD
*http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/95829.php
IN, SD, PA Take Actions On Physician, Pharmacy Regulation Bills For
so-called "Contraception", Abortion
Main Category: Abortion <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/abortion/>
Also Included In: Sexual Health / STDs
<http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/sexual_health/>; Primary Care
/ General Practice
<http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/primary_care/>; Pharmacy /
Pharmacist <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/pharmacy/>
Article Date: 01 Feb 2008 - 7:00 PST
<http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/95829.php#ratethis>
The following highlights recent news of state actions on legislation
that would institute requirements for health professionals in regard to
abortion and contraception.
* *Indiana*: The Senate on Tuesday voted 30-18 to pass a measure (SB
3
<http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?year=2008&session=1&request=getBill&docno=3>)
that would allow pharmacists to refuse to dispense prescriptions
that they believe will be used to induce an abortion or assist in
a suicide, the Indianapolis Star
<http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080130/LOCAL190106/801300476/-1/LOCAL17>
reports (Schneider et al., Indianapolis Star, 1/30). Under the
bill, a pharmacist's refusal to dispense could not be the basis of
a claim for damages or the basis for disciplinary action. Sen.
Jeff Drozda (R), the bill's sponsor, has said that contraception
is "not covered" under the bill but added that the legislation
intends to cover emergency contraception. After a recent committee
hearing, Drozda acknowledged that a pharmacist could interpret
that the bill would allow refusal to fill contraceptive
prescriptions (Daily Women's Health Policy Report
<http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/News2?news_iv_ctrl=-1&abbr=daily2_&page=NewsArticle&id=9604>,
1/14). The measure requires pharmacies to have a policy on what to
do if a pharmacist refuses to fill a contraceptive prescription,
but it does not specify the requirements (Indianapolis Star,
1/30). The measure had previously stalled on a 24-24 vote, but
Drozda succeeded in convincing six senators to change their vote,
with the bill passing without debate 30-18. Although Drozda
acknowledged previously that the bill could impact contraception
prescriptions, including emergency contraception, he claimed this
week that it would not apply to birth control pills and that he
was open to clarifying the proposal as it moves through the
General Assembly, the AP/South Bend Tribune
<http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080129/News/59349961/-1/XML&template=247art>
reports.
* Indiana: The Senate on Tuesday voted 39-9 to pass a "contentious"
bill (SB 146
<http://www.in.gov/apps/lsa/session/billwatch/billinfo?year=2008&session=1&request=getBill&docno=146>)
that would require physicians in the state to inform women seeking
abortions that there is "differing medical evidence concerning
when a fetus feels pain," the AP/Tribune reports. The measure also
would require physicians to state that "an embryo formed by the
fertilization of a human ovum by a human sperm immediately begins
to divide and grow as human physical life." The original version
of the bill would have required physicians to say that life begins
at conception and that a fetus can feel pain during an abortion,
but senators later decided to change the language. The measure now
moves to the House (Martin, AP/South Bend Tribune, 1/29).
* *Pennsylvania*: Sen. John Eichelberger (R) on Monday introduced a
bill that would allow health care professionals to refuse to
dispense contraceptives or perform abortion services for religious
reasons or "acts of conscience," the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
<http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/search/s_549608.html>
reports. The bill, titled the Conscientious Objection Act, would
give health care professionals immunity from lawsuits.
Eichelberger said he intends "to make it very clear that people in
health care and in medical institutions would be held harmless if
they for religious reasons decide not to provide procedures for
abortion or contraception." Jeanne Clark, an [abortoholic]
activist with the National Organization for Women
<http://www.now.org/> who previously ran the Allegheny Women's
Center in East Liberty, said the measure could allow physicians to
refuse to treat a woman in need of emergency medical care, such as
bleeding from a miscarriage or abortion. It is "pretty awful that
a medical professional sworn to do no harm [could] use this excuse
to kill a woman," Clark said [cynically] (Bumsted, Pittsburgh
Tribune-Review, 1/28).
* South Dakota: The House and Senate voted 38-31 and 21-13,
respectively, to pass measures (HB 1193
<http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2008/Bills/HB1193P.htm>, SB 88
<http://legis.state.sd.us/sessions/2008/Bills/SB88P.htm>) that
would require physicians to offer sonograms to women seeking
abortions in the state, the AP/Mitchell Daily Republic
<http://www.mitchellrepublic.com/articles/index.cfm?id=24166%C2%A7ion=News>
reports. Neither bill would force a woman to view a sonogram;
however, if a woman declines to view it, she would have to sign a
statement acknowledging her refusal. Supporters of the measures
said they believe that some women will not have abortions if they
see their sonograms. Opponents said it is cruel to add another
barrier in the abortion process, especially in instances in which
women must have the procedure for medical reasons. Each bill now
moves to the opposite legislative chamber, the AP/Daily Republic
reports (AP/Mitchell Daily Republic, 1/29).
Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org.
You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the
archives, or sign up for email delivery here
<http://www.nationalpartnership.org/site/PageServer?pagename=daily2_fullreport>.
The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National
Partnership for Women & Families <http://www.nationalpartnership.org>,
published by The Advisory Board Company.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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