Medical Emergency!

Medical Emergency!
The Religious Right’s Campaign To Interfere In Your Health
Care Decisions

Religious groups that oppose reproductive freedom and access to contraceptives are
increasingly pressuring the medical community to bow to their demands. This FAQ produced by Americans United for Separation of Church and State examines some of the issues raised by thiscampaign and how they might affect your life.

Q. In what ways have conservative religious groups been pressuring the medical community?
A. Two major campaigns are under way. Religious groups that oppose artificial contraceptives and
reproductive freedom are pressuring states to adopt “conscience clauses” that would allow
pharmacists and other medical professionals to refuse to provide medications and procedures they
say contradict their religious beliefs. At the same time, an increasing number of secular hospitals are
merging with Catholic and other religious hospitals. When this happens, church doctrine is often
imposed on the secular hospital, and certain services are lost.

Q. What’s wrong with “conscience clauses”?
A. A “conscience clause” gives a medical professional a legal right to deny a patient legal
medications or services. For example, some pharmacists have refused, on the basis of religious
belief, to fill birth-control prescriptions and won’t refer patients who want them to another
pharmacy. An individual’s access to legal medication should not be held hostage to someone else’s religious beliefs.
No one is forced to work in the medical profession. A pharmacist who does not want to fill
certain doctor-prescribed medicines should probably find another line of work.

The complete article can be obtained as abrocuhre at the Americans United website, visit this link .