The Collegium Aesculapium Foundation, an independent organization of Mormon physicians and health care professionals, has submitted a formal comment criticizing the Obama adminstration’s plan to force employers to provide health insurance forembryocidal drugs and devices and sterilization, despite moral or religious objections.
US Catholic bishops meeting focuses on freedom of conscience
At a meeting of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore argued that the bishops must support freedom of conscience for individuals, including small businessmen and other employers who object to providing insurance coverage for contraception, embryodical drugs and devices and sterilization. The Papal Nuncio told the audience that it was important for the Church to speak with one voice. Several related initiatives were discussed. [Natiional Catholic Register]
Controversial bill moves forward in Philippines
Senate Bill 2865, a controversial Reproductive Health bill, will progess to the amendment stage in the Philippines Congress. House Bill 4244 or the Responsible Parenthood, Reproductive Health And Population And Development Act Of 2011, is the House counterpart of the Senate bill.[Philippine Star] The latter includes provisions problematic with respect to freedom of conscience.
Accuracy of morning after pill labels disputed
A New York Times article outlines the controversy concerning the morning after pill over whether or not the drug may have an embryocidal effect by interfering with implantation. In brief, though the FDA approved labels state that the drug can have that effect, and such statements can be found on the National Institutes of Health and Mayo Clinic websites, there is increasing evidence that Plan B (the most commonly used version of the drug in the USA) does not have that effect. Enquiries by the New York Times led to the deletion of reference to an implantation effect on the website of A.D.A.M., which writes the entries for the NIH website. Richard Doerflinger, associate director of the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, said that he would be “relieved” if the drug did not affect implantation, but did not believe that the issue had been resolved.
New freedom of conscience advocacy group formed in USA
A new organization, Conscience Cause, has been formed to advocate for freedom of conscience in the United States. It is a non-profit, non-partisan, public policy advocacy organization comprised of leaders from various faiths that intends to petition Congress to stop legislation that would force individuals or corporations to violate their religious beliefs. The executive director of the organization has made a strong statement concerning the controversial “contraceptive mandate” imposed by the Obama administration.