9/20/02
in this issue:
abortion: CALIFORNIA / CANCER / HR4691 AND S2008 abortion
CALIFORNIA: An inquiry that began when Monrovians Against Planned
Parenthood started asking questions may lead the state's attorney general
to rule on whether Planned Parenthood is required to report sexual
activity involving adults and underage children. Citizen Link reports that
Planned Parenthood of California "did issue a memorandum to California
affiliates on June 26 stating that PP staff 'must report all known or
suspected abuse of a child under 18' and incidents of suspected statutory
rape. However, PP also contends that it is 'not legally obligated' to ask
the sexual partner's age."
Pro-lifers are asking Attorney General Bill Lockyer to require all
abortion clinics to follow state reporting laws concerning child sexual
abuse and statutory rape.
(Reading: "California eyes
exempting abortion clinics," Focus on the Family Citizen Link,
9/17/02; see Office
of the Attorney General to offer comments)
CANCER: Australian pro-life heroine Babette Francis has written,
"Cancer malpractice law suits will bankrupt many clinics." For a copy
please e-mail Babette
Francis or independent medical researcher Brent Rooney.
HR4691 AND S2008: Abortion Non Discrimination Act -- Congress is
considering legislation that would protect hospitals from being forced to
do abortions. HR4691 can be viewed at Library of Congress by searching the
bill number. The bill amends the Public Health Service Act by expanding
conscience protection to include not only physicians but also hospitals,
provider sponsored organizations, HMOs, health insurance plans and "any
other kind of health care facility, organization or plan." The bill's
Senate companion, S2008, is currently in committee. Pharmacists for Life
is calling on all pro-lifers to request that members of Congress include
the same protection for pharmacists.
(Reading: PharmFacts E-News, 9/17/02; to subscribe to the Pharmacists
for Life International e-mail alert list, contact Pharmacists for Life)
brain death
ENEMY OF LIFE AND TRUTH: A succinct statement signed by more than
120 people from 19 nations exposes the fallacy of the "brain death"
criteria.
(Reading: "Statement opposing
brain death criteria," International Network for Life Studies)
depo-provera
BLOOD VESSEL IMPAIRMENT: Researchers found that a major artery in
the arm did not open as wide in women using Depo-Provera for more than one
year, as compared to those who did not use this birth control chemical.
The finding raises the question of whether Depo-Provera could increase the
long-term risk of cardiovascular disease. Since the study sample is small,
more work is needed.
(Reading: "Injectable
contraceptive may affect vessel function," Reuters Health, 9/4/02)
disability rights
CALIFORNIA: The Alliance for Human Research Protection has
announced that 19 nationally known disability rights organizations,
activists and scholars have joined efforts to oppose California Assembly
Bill 2328. This proposal would give researchers the right to conduct
medical experiments on disabled people without legally authorized informed
consent. AHRP is circulating "A Declaration in Opposition to California
Assembly Bill 2328."
(Reading: "Stop
California AB 2328," Alliance for Human Research Protection action
alert, 7/26/02)
ectopic pregnancy
PRESUMED DIAGNOSIS: Researchers warn that the use of methotrexate
for a presumed ectopic pregnancy can be dangerous due to the drug's side
effects. They also note that "presumed diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy is
inaccurate in almost 40% of cases."
(Reading: "Presumed diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy," Obstetrics and
Gynecology, 9/02, pp. 505-510)
hemlock society
KEVORKIAN: The Fall 2002 issue of the National Capital Area Hemlock
News and Views comments on an opinion piece from Detroit Metro Times
editorial writer Jack Lessenberry: "Lessenberry bewails the fact that Dr.
K has been largely forgotten by the media and the U.S. public, and
observes 'Oregon voters even enacted -- twice -- a law allowing the
terminally ill to ask their doctors for a lethal dose, a law which remains
in force, despite the best efforts of Ayatollah Ashcroft and the religions
nuts to take away their freely chosen right."
(Reading: National Capital Area Hemlock News and Views, Fall 2002; "Kevorkian's
issue is still alive," Detroit Metro Times, 8/21/02)
morning-after abortion pills
OVER THE COUNTER: The Food and Drug Administration is being
pressured to authorize over-the-counter distribution of mega-doses of
birth control pills (so-called emergency contraception). Last year more
than 70 organizations, including the American Public Health Association,
petitioned presented the FDA. Today, researcher David Grimes contends that
the provision of the compound over the counter "will improve public health
… is safe for self-medication," will not cause serious harm if
inappropriately used, and women can independently determine the need to
use it. Grimes further states that further study is "neither appropriate
nor in the public interest."
COMMENT: When prestigious medical journals publish inflammatory
rhetoric suggesting that a baby is a threat to public health, what can we
expect next? Lest we forget, Grimes is the man who wrote, in 1978,
"Pregnancy is a sexually-transmitted condition, which if unwanted can lead
to sociopathic outcomes" (see Communique,
2/6/98).
(Reading: "Switching
emergency contraception to over-the-counter status," New England
Journal of Medicine, 9/12/02, pp. 846-849, paid subscribers only)
personhood
KENTUCKY: A three-judge panel rejected the "argument that life
begins at fertilization and said there was no firm legal basis for
determining life based on whether a fetus could live outside the womb.
Instead, the court said a fetus must be born alive to qualify as a person
in the criminal statutes."
(Reading: "Fetus not a
person, appeals court says," Lexington Herald, 9/14/02)
pro-life media
ARIZONA: Arizona Right to Life
has joined forces with Virtue
Media to provide television viewers with a 60-second educational
commercial entitled "Humane Humanity." Local versions of the spot are
being offered to pro-life groups nationwide. Just call the toll free
number: 877-7-VIRTUE.
(Reading "Arizona Right to Life and Virtuemedia expand partnership in
Humane Humanity," Arizona Right to Life news release, 8/13/02; contact is
Jeff Van Brunt)
EWTN: "To be or not to be -- the human family" will air on EWTN
Oct. 5 at 8 p.m., Oct. 8 at 3 a.m. and Oct. 10 at 1 p.m. This video
features Mark Pickup, an internationally known disability rights activist,
who speaks forcefully in defense of human dignity. Pickup suffers from
chronic progressive multiple sclerosis and is disabled and incurably ill.
The video can also be purchased by calling toll free 877-205-4602 ($19.95
+ $5 S/H in the United States).
(Reading: Advisory from Mark Pickup)
planned parenthood
FACT SHEET: STOPP International has developed a fact sheet on Planned
Parenthood that is a must for those interested in discrediting and
removing this vile organization from the community.
stem cell research
AMERICAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION: The ADA supports so-called
therapeutic cloning, claiming that the promise held by human cloning is
"too important to ignore."
COMENT: The ADA fails to point out that there is truly no difference
between reproductive human cloning and therapeutic human cloning other
than the fact that therapeutic human cloning means "clone and kill." Both
are, however, immoral.
(Reading: "American
Diabetes Association calls for enactment of legislation to protect access
to the promise of stem-cell research and therapeutic cloning," ADA
news release, 6/16/02)
JUVENILE DIABETES RESEARCH FOUNDATION: Pro-Life Wisconsin received a
fax from the JDRF that clearly spells out their position on human
embryonic stem cell research and human cloning. One quote: "It would be
unfortunate for the United States to completely ban a technology that may
one day provide enormous benefits to millions of Americans. JDRF opposes a
permanent ban on therapeutic cloning research."
(Reading: "Juvenile Diabetes
Research Foundation," Pro-Life Wisconsin Monday Update, 9/9/02)
reflection for prayer
POPE PIUS XI: Men today do not act as Christians, as brothers, but
as strangers, and even enemies. The sense of man's personal dignity and of
the value of human life has been lost in the brutal domination begotten of
might and mere superiority in numbers. Many are intent on exploiting their
neighbors solely for the purpose of enjoying more fully and on a larger
scale the goods of this world. But they err grievously who have turned to
the acquisition of material and temporal possessions and are forgetful of
eternal and spiritual things, to the possession of which Jesus, Our
Redeemer, by means of the Church, His living interpreter, calls mankind.
(Reading: Ubi
Arcano Dei Consilio, Pope Pius XI, 1922)
©2002 American Life League, Inc.
|