{"id":5958,"date":"2014-08-21T19:24:25","date_gmt":"2014-08-22T02:24:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.consciencelaws.org\/?p=5958"},"modified":"2018-03-08T13:31:24","modified_gmt":"2018-03-08T21:31:24","slug":"health-website-not-sinister","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.consciencelaws.org\/?p=5958","title":{"rendered":"Health website ‘not sinister’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0Marlborough Express<\/em><\/p>\n

Heather Simpson<\/p>\n

An online database listing health professionals who are reportedly opposed to prescribing contraception or abortions is not sinister, the chief executive of Marlborough Primary Health Organisation says.<\/p>\n

The My Decision website launched on Sunday lists 28 doctors, nurses, pharmacies and counsellors who object for moral or religious reasons to contraception or abortions .<\/p>\n

Former Wairau Community Clinic GP Joseph Lee is on the list. Dr Lee, a devout Catholic, angered pro-choice campaigners when it was revealed last year he had refused to prescribe the contraceptive pill to a 23-year-old woman.<\/p>\n

PHO boss Beth Tester said Dr. Lee no longer worked in Marlborough.<\/p>\n

She did not mind the database. “It is not that sinister. Any doctor in Marlborough that doesn’t prescribe oral contraceptives has a notice saying so in their practice. This website database is no different.” [Full text<\/a>]<\/p>\n