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April-June, 2001

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Press Release
JUNE 5, 2001

RE:  "Even doctors ethically must make referrals for abortion services, whether they morally support that or not."  Melanie Anderson - Planned Parenthood Alberta  (CTV News and Current Affairs Sat 02 Jun 2001)

The erroneous allegation that physicians who object to abortion for reasons of conscience are obliged to refer patients for the procedure continues to be promulgated in Alberta.

Our correspondence with Alberta College of Physicians and Surgeons registrar, Dr. Ohlhauser, states clearly that physicians do not have a professional obligation to refer a patient for an abortion.  The College requires, as does the Code of Ethics of the Canadian Medical Association, that physicians "inform a patient when their personal morality would influence the recommendation or practice of any medical procedure that the patient needs or wants."

A pro-life physician should declare her personal views to a pregnant patient considering an abortion, in order to place her subsequent discussion in context.  The doctor then has every right, indeed, a responsibility, to outline the potential mental and physical risks of abortion just as she would before prescribing a drug or weighing the merits of surgery.

A number of studies report a close correlation between abortion, especially of a first pregnancy, and breast cancer. Are Alberta physicians telling abortion seekers of this threat to their health? Are women being informed of the risk of post-abortion emotional trauma? Are patients being warned that some physicians' ardent pro-abortion beliefs bias the "counselling" process?

A physician's duty of care extends to two patients in the case of a pregnant woman - the woman and her unborn child.  For a woman to make a truly "informed decision" she must be presented with the facts of human embryology of her unborn child so that she will know that what she is aborting is a human being, not just a clump of cells or a piece of her own tissues.  Withholding basic information shows disrespect for women and is both dishonest and patronizing, since it implies that women are too weak to know the truth.

The suggestion that morally troublesome issues need only be referred to a colleague is oblivious to the principled objections of pro-life physicians. Increasingly exotic reproductive technologies may eventually offend even the most laissez-faire physicians.  There may come a day where no physician feels free from coercion to violate his or her conscience.

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Will Johnston, MD
President - Canadian Physicians for Life

Additional information/interviews, please contact: 
Canadian Physicians for Life - 10150 Gillanders Road; Chilliwack, BC  V2P 6H4
Phone:  604-794-3772  Fax:  604-794-3960
Email:  info@physiciansforlife.ca
Visit us at:  www.physiciansforlife.ca

2 June, 2001
For Immediate Release

The world's first faculty of bioethics will begin offering first year Bachelor, Master and Doctorate courses in October, 2001.

A two year (four semester) bachelor's degree will offer basic interdisciplinary preparation courses and seminars in five areas: bioethics, medicine, law, philosophy and theology. The master's degree requires two more years (four semesters) of study, concluding with a comprehensive final examination..

The Bioethics Faculty is an initiative of the Pontifical Athenaeum Regina Apostolorum , a Catholic ecclesiastical university centre (http://www.ateneo.org). The faculty is assisted by an international Scientific Council of 23 experts from 11 countries. Among them is Dr. John Fleming, Director of the Southern Cross Bioethics Institute, and a member of the Protection of Conscience Project Advisory Board.

Sean Murphy, Administrator of the non_denominational Protection of Conscience Project, welcomed the initiative.

"One of the criticisms of bioethics, as it is too often practised in North America, is that it is an expression of the hidden faith of secularism," said Murphy. "The unexamined beliefs of the establishment elite are often the root of their intolerance of conscientious objectors."

"By working explicitly within a philosophical tradition and faith perspective," he explained, "the new faculty will illustrate that different beliefs about the nature of the human person lead to different ethical conclusions."

"Once that becomes clear," he concluded, "we may hope to see more meaningful and productive discourse about pluralism and freedom of conscience ."

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For further information, call Sean Murphy at 604-485-9765 or e-mail protection@consciencelaws.org.
See interview with the rector of the new faculty.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2001

Pharmacists Conscience Clause Given Stamp of Approval

Madison--A stamp of approval was given to Assembly Bill 307 (late Thursday),
legislation that will provide much needed job security for pharmacists who conscientiously object to dispensing drugs or devices that can cause death through abortion, euthanasia or physician assisted suicide.

In response to compelling testimony from several Wisconsin pharmacists, the Assembly Family Law Committee in a 4-2 vote sent this measure on for expected full approval of the Wisconsin Assembly.  Pro-Life Wisconsin applauds the support of committee chair Rep. Carol Owens (R-Oshkosh), who authored the bill, as well as committee members Rep. Steve Kestell (R-Elkhart Lake), Rep. Don Friske (R-Merrill) and Rep. Joan Wade (R-Montello).  The dissenting votes came from pro-abortion legislative leader Rep. Terese Berceua (D-Madison) and Rep. Peggy Krusick (D-Milwaukee), who in the past has claimed to be pro-life.

"New abortion techniques focusing on chemical means to end the lives of a preborn babies have received FDA approval or have become more readily available," explained Mary Matuska, Pro-Life Wisconsin legislative director. 

"While abortion was formerly relegated to a clinical setting, it is now possible to receive life-ending drugs in a pharmacy, forcing pharmacists to be party to abortion."

Opposing testimony used the scare tactic that this bill would ban birth control.  "This is not true," stated Mary Matuska.  "This bill will not make drugs such as the morning-after pill and the birth control pill unavailable.  It simply recognizes that employers cannot force pharmacists to be directly involved in abortion, assisted suicide and euthanasia.  It recognizes that pharmacists, like doctors and nurses, are valued health care professionals who should not be forced to choose between their consciences and their livelihoods."

AB 307 is modelled after legislation which was enacted into law in March, 1998, in the state of South Dakota.  Legislatures in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and a few other states are currently considering legislation that would recognize the rights of pharmacists not to engage in procedures that violate their consciences.

"People who call themselves "pro-choice" should especially understand the intent of this bill," stated Peggy Hamill, Pro-Life Wisconsin state director.

 "Pharmacists should have the right to choose not to be complicit in the taking of innocent human life."

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Contact:   Peggy Hamill, State Director, or Katherine Ribnek, Communications
Director   (262) 796-1111 (daytime phone) or (414) 416-0489 (cell phone)