I can’t even.
The Arizona Senate passed a bill (SB1359) this week that allows doctors to withhold from pregnant women information regarding prenatal problems because disclosing that information might lead to an abortion.
Seriously.
From Addicting Info:
It’s called a “wrongful birth” bill and it’s all about preventing women from having an abortion, even if it kills them. The Arizona Senate passed a bill this week that gives doctors a free pass to not inform pregnant women of prenatal problems because such information could lead to an abortion.
In other words, doctors can intentionally keep critical health information from pregnant women and can’t be sued for it. According to the Arizona Capitol Times, “the bill’s sponsor is Republican Nancy Barto of Phoenix. She says allowing the medical malpractice lawsuits endorses the idea that if a child is born with a disability, someone is to blame.” So Republicans are banning lawsuits against doctors who keep information from pregnant women so as to prevent them from choosing to have an abortion.
is this where we are as a country? We’re withholding medical information from women because that information might lead to abortions while simultaneously passing bills in state after state with such pithy names as “Right to Know” or “Right to Know and See” or “Informed Consent” the claimed purpose of which is to make sure women are fully informed? And not only are we withholding information, but we’re immunizing doctors from liability?
What the hell?
[via Addicting Info]
Does AZ currently have wrongful birth as a COA? I know only a few states allow wrongful life. If so, how does this jive with existing case law, constitutionality, etc.
You have got to be kidding me. If the republicans keep this up they will lose the 2012 elections for themselves without any help.
:bangs head against desk: for the upmty-billionth time.
LOL! Me too…
Q. What do you call it when your kid grows up to be a state legislator who passes a bill allowing doctors to misinform pregnant women about their health? A. “Wrongful birth.”
Mothers, don’t let your babies grow up to be Republicans.
Thanks, David; that made me laugh and I really needed it after reading yet another depressing article about attacks on women’s rights.
“What do you call it…. Wrongful birth”
That’s just awesome. Love it!
This country’s Gene pool needs a bit of chlorine, because it’s been GOPeed in!
I’m a medical student and not in favor of malpractice reform, including this bill. But I don’t think the wording of the bill justifies the claim that “doctors can intentionally keep critical health information from pregnant women and can’t be sued for it.” Considering the background, (doctors being sued when a baby was born with congenital defects because the parents assumed the doctor knew about them) I think this is just standard Republican malpractice reform fare. The wording of Section D is important: “This section does not apply to any civil action for damages for an intentional or grossly negligent act or omission”. It doesn’t apply to an intentional act or omission by the doctor. True, that would be hard to prove in court. On the other hand, doctors who get caught lying to their patients don’t get to remain doctors for very long.
I just found out about this piece of crap bill and started a petition about it at Change.org, please go sign it!!!! Also I have a post on my blog with contact info for Arizona Speaker of the House because they will take up the bill next, the woman who created the bill (yeah, a woman! gender traitor), the AZ AMA and the national AMA, etc. If you live in AZ, call these people. I sure as hell will be 8 am sharp.
http://www.change.org/petitions/the-arizona-state-house-of-representatives-vote-no-on-the-wrongful-births-bill-senate-bill-1359#
Signed and shared on my facebook wall. Thank you for writing it Tina!
I guess we ladies are going to have to come together and post the names of known pro-choice doctors that won’t lie to women. They can have our business. We can picket the rest.
I know that there are pro-life Ob-Gyn websites, maybe we can start blacklisting those docs first.
http://www.aaplog.org/aaplog-physician-directory/
Ok people read the SB 1359 before you go off the deep end. The bill does not state the MD has the right to withhold information. What it states is that in the event the baby is born with a defect that was undetected prior to birth the parents do not have a right to sue the doctor. How could a doctor be responsible for something he did not know. Think about it and read the bill and not what the uneducated are writing. It protects against the people that want to blame someone else for their mishaps and make an easy buck.
Because wanting restitution for being saddled with a child (very expensive if I must remind you!) that they might not have been able to afford to care for (not to mention that some “unseen” complications can have negative effects on the mother who carries to term) is TOTALLY just looking for an easy buck.
Doctors aren’t perfect, but malpractice suits and insurance make it so that people who put their trust into doctors aren’t left high and dry when something happens.
And anti-choice doctors and pharmacists have a tendency to “overlook” these sort of issues more often.
btw, fact sheet on the az policy website
http://blog.azpolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/f12-13-WrongfulLife.pdf
which I found on
http://www.azpolicy.org/current-bill-status
makes it very obvious how the state sees this
Note also the bill, by the same senator, which claims that the state should err on the side of childbirth versus abortion in all cases (though especially education).