Secretary of Health and Human Services Mike Leavitt says in his blog <http://secretarysblog.hhs.gov/my_weblog/2008/08/physician-con-2.html> "putting doctors (or any one who assists them) in a position where they are forced to violate their consciences in order to meet a standard of competence violates more than federal law. It violates decency and the core value of personal liberty."
Concerned? Read below. Your input is urgently needed.
"HHS will file a rule in the Federal Register aimed at increasing compliance with existing federal laws protecting provider conscience. The proposed rule clarifies that non-discrimination rules apply to institutional health care providers as well as to individual employees working for recipients of certain funds from HHS."
The Proposed rule " empowers HHS officials to consider a range of sanctions including termination of funding and the return of funds paid out while in violation."
IN PLAIN ENGLISH: This is another attempt to assist some Medical Doctors, their office personnel and Pharmacists, of a particular religious persuasion, in their REFUSAL TO SUPPLY THE MORNING AFTER PILL.
Please consider sending an e-mail to: <consciencecomment@hhs.gov> with your thoughts on the matter.
"Tell Secretary Leavitt that you will not tolerate ideological interference with the delivery of reproductive health services!
The public comment period closes September 25, so please write today"
My e-mail said: The bible and indeed most if not all of life is a matter of INTERPRETATION.
Unfortunately, interpretation is subject to BIAS.
Some say use of "The Morning After Pill" is murder .
Others say it is a provision of medical care and may choose to point out that Physicians and their office personnel and Pharmacists, do NOT seek to avoid treatment of sexually transmitted diseases because personal interpretation allows them to think that the manner in which that disease may have been contracted is not approved by biblical standards (say prohibitions vs. Prostitution).
In my opinion services that are held open to the public at large should not be allowed, by government fiat, to be denied when they are urgently required solely because of personal
religious interpretations.