(3/15/2006)

Emergency Contraception and Conscience Clauses

No Room for Contraception releases the following statement

NEW YORK, Mar. 13 /Christian Newswire/ -- No Room for Contraception released the following statement today concerning the distribution of emergency contraception and of conscience clauses that ought to protect health care workers from participation in the distribution of these drugs. Mary Worthington, spokeswoman for the campaign, said:

"In lieu of forcing pharmacies and hospitals to act in contradiction to personal or religious beliefs, political leaders and public policy makers, especially those who are Catholic, should be enacting laws that protect religious freedom. Our nation was founded on that religious freedom, and certain vocal lobbyists should not be able to get away with chipping away at those rights."

"Though conscience clauses have been enacted in several states to protect physicians and nurses who do not wish to participate in abortion, these clauses must now be rewritten to include specific protection for pharmacists, hospitals and all other healthcare workers who do not wish to participate in the distribution of emergency contraception and any other chemical or barrier contraception or other products found to be objectionable, such as drugs to assist in suicide."

On the specific situation in Connecticut concerning Catholic hospitals that may be required to distribute the drug against their religious requirements, Worthington said:

"If the State of Connecticut insists on using its power to promote emergency contraception, then it should have conscience clauses for pharmacists, pharmacies, and hospitals. Other States, such as Minnesota, are considering legislation which feature conscience clauses of various sorts. Instead of blindly throwing their weight behind emergency contraception, State officials should respect the deeply held beliefs of individuals and institutions."

Worthington went on to question whether it is ethical that emergency contraception drugs be promoted in the first place.

"It’s ironic that pharmacies and some hospitals are being pressured excessively to do something that many consider to be an objective moral evil, which is to provide chemicals that can cause the end of human life. These are Catholic hospitals whose religious beliefs demand that they not participate in ending the life of a newly conceived human being."

"Those who are pushing for widespread distribution of emergency contraception claim that it prevents abortion. What they fail to mention is that it certainly can prevent the implantation of a newly conceived human life—earlier than what is medically defined as a pregnancy—and this is killing. Drug companies, lobbyists and law makers know full well that many pharmacists and hospitals do not wish to distribute drugs designed to kill in this manner, and they should respect these wishes."