The nation's largest faith-based organization of physicians today publicly opposed the American Medical Association's recent stance that supports forcing pharmacists to violate their moral convictions by participating in the administration of prescription drugs that cause abortions.
Christian Medical Association Associate Executive Director Gene Rudd, MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist, noted, "The key issue here is not even the important question of the ethics of birth control, but the fundamental freedom to follow the dictates of one's conscience and of the teachings of one's religious faith."
AMA policy makers last week passed a resolution calling on pharmacists to fill or help fill prescriptions for contraceptives such as the "morning-after pill". Some pharmacists conscientiously oppose participating in such prescriptions because of the drugs' post-fertilization effects--preventing an early embryo from implanting in the uterus.
Dr. Rudd added, "Regardless of whether we would personally take that position, it is important to defend the rights of those who do. Instead of limiting the rights of healthcare professionals, true patient advocates should insist that contraceptive makers and marketers insure patient informed consent--by providing full information on the product so the patient realizes exactly what it does and what the risks are. Many women would be devastated to realize that so-called 'emergency contraception' can actually end early developing life.
"There is simply no reason to trample over the consciences of pharmacists to fill these prescriptions. This is often framed as a matter of patient rights and access to healthcare when it in fact is an issue of patient convenience. Patient convenience is a good goal, but it cannot trump fundamental rights of conscience. It is clear that abortion advocates will not tolerate anyone who opposes their doctrine. It is ironic that while they appeal to principles of freedom of choice, abortion advocates are willing to eliminate the choice of those who hold opposing views.
"What we are seeing in this country is a wholesale movement to deny healthcare professionals the right to follow their own consciences, especially in matters regarding reproduction. Mandating abortion training for New York City residents in training, forcing pharmacists to fill prescriptions that violate their consciences, and requiring faith-based organizations to violate their religious teachings are not only morally objectionable, they violate our constitutional freedoms of speech and religion.
"History teaches us that denying the freedoms of one group is a threat to the constitutional freedoms of every one of us. As Martin Niemoller said of failing to oppose the Nazi regime, 'First they came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me.'"
In a related statement, a Pharmacists for Life pamphlet asserts, "A pharmacist by virtue of properly understood conscience cannot be licitly compelled to cooperate in such a fashion with what he knows will result in a chemical abortion and, hence, a dead baby. Such activity is called material cooperation. Further, it is not an inconvenience to refuse to refer such a client since the pharmacist is doing the woman and her preborn child a favor in terms of physical and spiritual health."
Related Article: American Medical Association Targets Pro-Life Pharmacists
Source: Christian Wire Service
More Information: Christian Medical Association
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