Anti-Contraception Campaign Decries Actions of Illinois Governor

[ladyshealth]

Anti-Contraception Campaign Decries Actions of Illinois Governor

NEW YORK, March 29 /Christian Wire Service/ – The No Room for Contraception Campaign issued the following statement today in response to the restrictions announced by Governor Blagojevich of Illinois on Monday regarding regulations to govern pharmacists in filling prescriptions that some pharmacists find morally objectionable such as contraceptive pills and devices. Mary Worthington, spokeswoman for the campaign, decried Gov. Blagojevich’s actions as an “irresponsible display of power.”

“Governor Blagojevich has complete disregard for the conscientious objections of pharmacists,” said Worthington. “His new restrictions and penalties for pharmacists demonstrate an irresponsible display of power. He will in fact force many pharmacists out of business because of their own religious or moral convictions, and this is not fair.”

“Furthermore,” said Worthington, “access to Plan B emergency contraception does no service to women’s health; this is a dangerous and powerful drug. Easy access to emergency contraception will make women more vulnerable to sexual abuse. Sexual abuse and incest are often revealed only when pregnancy happens. With greater access to and use of emergency contraception, women will be expected to further cover up instances of sexual abuse by taking emergency contraceptives perhaps even placing her own health and fertility at risk.”

“Governor Blagojevich’s efforts should focus on funding initiatives that will help women and families find alternatives to contraception, provide educational information on the harms of contraception, and teach natural family planning methods.”

No Room for Contraception is a campaign to expose the potential problems of contraception on marriage, society and women’s health. The campaign’s website is located at www.noroomforcontraception.com.

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Be sure to visit the No Room for Contraception Campaign’s website at NoRoomforContraception.com

 

[WanderAimlessly]

He is out of control. There need to be lawsuits at the Federal level to counter his actions.

PF

 

[Benedictus]

“Furthermore,” said Worthington, “access to Plan B emergency contraception does no service to women’s health; this is a dangerous and powerful drug. Easy access to emergency contraception will make women more vulnerable to sexual abuse. Sexual abuse and incest are often revealed only when pregnancy happens. With greater access to and use of emergency contraception, women will be expected to further cover up instances of sexual abuse by taking emergency contraceptives perhaps even placing her own health and fertility at risk.”

This is pure insanity. Worthington needs to do the world a favor and stop breathing.

 

[1stFreedom]

Wow. Your tagline and reply do not match what you said about this woman. Maybe you should contemplate this statement during Eucharistic Adoration. Your statement is not one of love, but one of hate, and anything but Christian.

Benedictus:

This is pure insanity. Worthington needs to do the world a favor and stop breathing.

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A common turning to the east during the Eucharistic Prayer remains essential. …] Looking at the priest has no importance. What matters is looking together at the Lord. – Benedict XVI

 

[Benedictus]

1stFreedom:

Wow. Your tagline and reply do not match what you said about this woman. Maybe you should contemplate this statement during Eucharistic Adoration. Your statement is not one of love, but one of hate, and anything but Christian.

First of all, I don’t really want the person dead. I was hoping that would be self-evident.

Secondly, this woman’s statements are indeed insane. To suggest that it is good to withhold contraception from rape victims pure idiocy.

 

[1stFreedom]

To suggest that it is good to withhold contraception from rape victims pure idiocy.

Really? Considering the woman may be pregnant? How is taking a life insane? Since when does Christianity punish the unborn for the crimes of the father?

As I said, you need to open your heart and mind during Adoration and take this to God.

 

[fix]

I think it helps to keep this issue very clear. A woman who was raped may use medicine to suppress ovulation. That is not contraception. Medicine that would abort a fetus is a very different issue.

 

[Benedictus]

First of all, there is little to no scientific evidence that Emergency Contraception has any post-fertilization effect. Now, I don’t really expect you to believe me, but you might want to do some research of your own.

“The post-fertilization effect was purely a speculation that became truth by repetition” (Dr. Joe DeCook, vice president of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists - source).

There are few studies on the matter, this one and this one (warning: PDF) are two recent ones, neither of which found any post-fertilization effect.

While it’s true that drug companies say that one possible mechanism by which these drugs works is preventing implantation of an embryo, this is little more than conjecture, and I’m not sure we should deny rape victims Emergency Contraception based on conjecture and anecdotal “evidence”.

It seems to me that the evidence for a post-fertilization effect of hormonal contraceptives amounts to proof by repetition.

 

[fix]

Benedictus:

First of all, there is little to no scientific evidence that Emergency Contraception has any post-fertilization effect. Now, I don’t really expect you to believe me, but you might want to do some research of your own.

“The post-fertilization effect was purely a speculation that became truth by repetition” (Dr. Joe DeCook, vice president of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists - source).

There are few studies on the matter, this one and this one (warning: PDF) are two recent ones, neither of which found any post-fertilization effect.

While it’s true that drug companies say that one possible mechanism by which these drugs works is preventing implantation of an embryo, this is little more than conjecture, and I’m not sure we should deny rape victims Emergency Contraception based on conjecture and anecdotal “evidence”.

It seems to me that the evidence for a post-fertilization effect of hormonal contraceptives amounts to proof by repetition.

While I reject your assertion regarding the presence abortifacient effects, do you agree with me that if there were such an effect it would be illicit?

Defending oneself from an unjust aggressor is not contracepting. Direct abortion is another matter.

 

[BioCatholic]

Benedictus:

“The post-fertilization effect was purely a speculation that became truth by repetition” (Dr. Joe DeCook, vice president of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists -

This is an 100% accurate statement of the current medical knowledge. people HYPOTHESIZED that an egg could fail to implant because they observed the uterus walls slightly thickening.

THEY DID NOT:

1. demonstrate the thickening was significantly higher than women not taking the pill (by significantly, i mean statistically with a p<= .05). then they HAVE to demonstrate that significantly higher thickening actually has physiological consequences.
2. demonstrate the thickening was necessary and sufficient to cause a failed implant. (search the literature for the meaning of necessary and sufficient. it is VERY hard to definitively demonstrate).
3. separate out failure to implant due to the pill, and due to natural phenomenon. REMEMBER: you need 80% or better intervals with an occuring event, otherwise 50-60% is considered CHANCE. (half and half). that means, it is only by chance a woman taking EC will have a failure to implant.
4. make their study repeatable so others can reproduce it

So therefore the obvious conclusion is that the claim EC prevents implantation is false, and has no supporting evidence.

therefore, one cannot oppose EC because they think it prevents implantation of a fertilized egg. it is simply incorrect and based on conjecture.

Therefore, one can be Catholic and support access to emergency contracption.

 

[Benedictus]

fix:

While I reject your assertion regarding the presence abortifacient effects, do you agree with me that if there were such an effect it would be illicit?

Yes, if there is such an effect, it would be illicit.

I’m also not denying that there is such an effect. I’m only saying that there is little evidence for it. Given the lack of evidence, it may be the case that rape victims could lawfully use it. I’m not sure that pharmacists should be denying women a medicine prescribed by their doctors.

Mifepristone (RU-486) would be a different story. I see no reason why a pharmacist shouldn’t be able to refuse to dispense that drug.

 

[fix]

BioCatholic:

This is an 100% accurate statement of the current medical knowledge. people HYPOTHESIZED that an egg could fail to implant because they observed the uterus walls slightly thickening.

THEY DID NOT:

1. demonstrate the thickening was significantly higher than women not taking the pill (by significantly, i mean statistically with a p<= .05). then they HAVE to demonstrate that significantly higher thickening actually has physiological consequences.
2. demonstrate the thickening was necessary and sufficient to cause a failed implant. (search the literature for the meaning of necessary and sufficient. it is VERY hard to definitively demonstrate).
3. separate out failure to implant due to the pill, and due to natural phenomenon. REMEMBER: you need 80% or better intervals with an occuring event, otherwise 50-60% is considered CHANCE. (half and half). that means, it is only by chance a woman taking EC will have a failure to implant.
4. make their study repeatable so others can reproduce it

So therefore the obvious conclusion is that the claim EC prevents implantation is false, and has no supporting evidence.

therefore, one cannot oppose EC because they think it prevents implantation of a fertilized egg. it is simply incorrect and based on conjecture.

Therefore, one can be Catholic and support access to emergency contracption.

The undersigned believe that the facts as detailed in this document indicate the abortifacient nature of hormonal contraception. This is supported by the scientific work of the Alan Guttmacher Institute which can, in no way, be confused with a right-to-life organization. We also want to make it clear that we have no desire to cause confusion and division among pro-life forces. However, we do want to make it clear that we do desire that all women using the pill are truthfully and fully informed about all its modes of action.

Birth Control Pill: Abortifacient and Contraceptive

They address your assertions.

 

[chicago]

BioCatholic:

Therefore, one can be Catholic and support access to emergency contracption.

Assuming the underlying assertations to be true, this would only be the case in situations of rape. In such cases, a hospital emergency room would be the dispenser of the drug and not a local Walgreen’s pharmacy. Making the point in relation to the governor’s actions moot.

 

[fix]

chicago:

Assuming the underlying assertations to be true, this would only be the case in situations of rape. In such cases, a hospital emergency room would be the dispenser of the drug and not a local Walgreen’s pharmacy. Making the point in relation to the governor’s actions moot.

The assertions are not proven. Many think the facts say differently. Which side does the Church error on?

 

[Benedictus]

fix:

The assertions are not proven. Many think the facts say differently. Which side does the Church error on?

Liberty, given the lack of evidence supporting a post-fertilization effect.

The burden of proof is on those who believe that there is some post-fertilization effect. After all, proving that there is no post-fertilization effect is logically impossible since you would be trying to prove a negative.

 

[fix]

Benedictus:

Liberty, given the lack of evidence supporting a post-fertilization effect.

The burden of proof is on those who believe that there is some post-fertilization effect. After all, proving that there is no post-fertilization effect is logically impossible since you would be trying to prove a negative.

The proof is there. Since some say it is not, it does not mean we should error on the side of killing an innocent.

From the link I provided:

…"Is there actual clinical evidence of early miscarriage in pill users? They note that the typical clinical picture of spontaneous abortion (heavy bleeding, severe cramping, passage of tissue) is rarely, if ever seen by practicing physicians caring for patients on the pill. They seem to overlook the facts that the abortions caused by the BCP occur when the baby is 5 to 14-16 days old and that the lining of the uterus is “less vascular, less glandular, thinner” than normal as they described it. From the clinical perspective, one would anticipate, just as in over 60% of ectopic pregnancies, a non-event. From the moral perspective, however, it is quite another story. What we are witnessing here is a tragic loss of God’s children, totally innocent and made in His image. It is well to also remember that, from the moral perspective, the numbers don’t matter. If one child is lost, the tragedy isn’t lessened. Following this, the authors ask; “What is the conception rate for women on hormone contraception?” They answer correctly that it is impossible to say. However, earlier in their paper they noted, quite accurately, that the medical literature documents an incidence of 3-5 pregnancies per 100 women per year for pill users. Dr. Don Gambrell, Jr., a renowned gynecological endocrinologist addressed this issue during the educational segment of this same meeting. He noted a 14% incidence of ovulation in women taking the 50 microgram BCP. This rate varies from pill to pill and patient to patient. Simple logic informs one that every fertilization occurring in women on the pill doesn’t result in a term “pill pregnancy” or a surgically induced abortion. But this is the precise thesis of those stating that the BCP is not abortifacient. Simple logic and deductive reasoning would suggest that many more than the clinically diagnosed pregnancies that occur are aborted because of the acyclic, unfavorable-for-implantation endometrium…