abortion: ILLEGAL ACTIVITY
activism: CALIFORNIA, DENTISTS FOR LIFE, WISCONSIN
birth control pill: PIONEER, RISKS
bush watch: FRANZ LEICHTER
congress: UNFPA FUNDING
court rulings: KANSAS
feminists for life: SERRIN FOSTER
human experimentation: CHILDREN AT RISK
imposed death: BRITAIN
media: MARIE CLAIRE
morning-after abortion pills: EXPANDING THE PHARMACIST’S ROLE
sex education: GUTTMACHER STUDIES
reflection for prayer: CARDINAL JOHN O’CONNOR
abortion
ILLEGAL ACTIVITY: Life Dynamics, Inc., has launched a new web site, ClinicWorker.com, designed to confront abortion clinic employees with the fact that they could be in some way collaborating in illegal or criminal activity. Founder Mark Crutcher writes, “The illegal activity that occurs at abortion clinics is an enormous untapped resource for the pro-life movement.” The web site proves the validity of his statement.
(Reading: “New web site helps abortion clinic workers file criminal charges against their employers,” Life Dynamics news release, 10/16/01)
activism
CALIFORNIA: If you don’t want to sit on the sidelines, and want to be involved in all that the pro-life movement is doing in California, you need California Right to Life’s action-packed updates. Request a copy from “>California Right to Life.
DENTISTS FOR LIFE: Attendees at the Oct. 13-16 American Dental Association’s annual meeting received pro-life pamphlets and encouragement for every dentist to be pro-life from Dentists for Life founder Craig Bozzacco, DDS. If you wish to contact DFL, write “>Dr. Bozzacco or see Dentists for Life.
WISCONSIN: Pro-Life Wisconsin is seeking dozens of volunteers to assist in a massive literature distribution campaign at the coming Oct. 27 University of Wisconsin homecoming football game against Michigan State. If you can help, or can generate volunteers to help them, please contact . The literature documents UW-Madison’s direct involvement in deadly human embryo research. To learn more see Pro-Life Wisconsin.
birth control pill
PIONEER: Hungarian immigrant Dr. George Rosenkranz, former CEO and founding chairman of Syntex Labs, celebrated his work with Carl Djerassi on the early formulations of the birth control pill during the 1950s. Rosenkranz was honored for his work at the University of Mexico in Mexico City.
(Reading: “Timeline, books mark 50th anniversary of discovery of the birth control pill,” Kaiser Daily Reproductive Health Report, 10/15/01; “ Pioneer of the pill, Dr. George Rosenkranz, honored at University of Mexico’s 450th anniversary celebration,” Business Wire, 10/9/01)
RISKS: A Canadian study finds that women who use the pill prior to menopause are more likely to have lower bone mineral density than those who do not. A sample of 524 women was used, 454 of whom used oral contraceptives.
(Reading: “Oral contraceptive use and bone mineral density in premenopausal women…” Canadian Medical Association Journal, 10/16/01, pp. 1023-1029)
bush watch
FRANZ LEICHTER: President Bush announced his intention to nominate Franz Leichter as a member of the Federal Housing Finance Board. Leichter prides himself on being the author of the 1970 New York law that legalized abortion.
(Reading: “President Bush to nominate twelve individuals and appoint seven individuals to serve in his administration,” White House news release, 10/16/01; profile of Leichter: Swarthmore Profiles)
congress
UNFPA FUNDING: A compromise foreign operations bill sits in committee, and President Bush has a veto option. Pro-lifers are asked to consider contacting both the House Appropriations Committee at 202-224-3471 and the Senate Appropriations Committee at 202-225-2771 to protest even one dollar to UNFPA, the United Nations propaganda machine for the culture of death. In addition, please contact the White House and ask for either UNFPA funding to be deleted or for the president to veto the bill; Comment line: 202-456-6213 or e-mail “>President Bush.
court rulings
KANSAS: In Nold v. Binyon, the case of an infant suing because she was not protected from hepatitis B at birth, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled that “As a matter of law, a physician who has a doctor-patient relationship with a pregnant woman who intends to carry her fetus to term and deliver a healthy baby also has a doctor-patient relationship with the fetus.” While the decision regarding whether or not malpractice is involved was remanded for a new trial, requiring expert testimony on the subject of standard of care, this decision makes the point that only “wanted” children qualify as patients in Kansas.
(Reading: Nold v. Binyon, et al, Supreme Court of the State of Kansas, #84,292, Page 2 of 17, Item 3)
feminists for life
SERRIN FOSTER: Insight magazine published an in-depth interview with Feminists for Life president Serrin Foster. See Feminists for Life and read about Patricia Heaton, star of “Everybody Loves Raymond” and FFL’s honorary chairman of the board.
human experimentation
CHILDREN AT RISK: The Maryland Court of Appeals (Case #24-C-99-000925 and Case #24-C-95066067/CL 193461) ruled that children may not be used in nontherapeutic research where they may be put at risk. The court is being asked by Johns Hopkins University and other groups to reconsider or modify the ruling. They argue that “A rule prohibiting ‘nontherapeutic research or studies in which there is ANY risk of injury’ would prohibit virtually all medical and public health research involving children and other persons under a legal disability.” Vera Sharav of the Alliance for Human Research Protection applauded the ruling, saying, “The Maryland court opinion is a powerful reaffirmation of the rights of children not to be exploited as laboratory animals.”
(Reading: Grimes v. Kennedy Kreiger Institute and Higgins v. Kennedy Kreiger Institute; “Ruling bans research where children are at ‘any risk,'” AMA News, 10/8/01; contact “>Vera Sharav)
imposed death
BRITAIN: Diane Pretty (see Communique, 10/19/01) lost her bid to help herself die at a time of her choosing, and will now take her case to the House of Lords.
(Reading: “Right to die woman to fight on,” BBC news, 10/18/01)
media
MARIE CLAIRE: The feminist magazine is promoting abortion, and polling the readers. Take a look, but be aware, the site is offensive.
morning-after abortion pills
EXPANDING THE PHARMACIST’S ROLE: Touting the Washington state experience as successful, a student in the University of Washington’s doctor of pharmacy program comments that while she opposes making “emergency contraception” pills available over the counter, she would not object to the drugs being available “behind-the-counter.” She writes, “In this scenario, the pills would be available without a prescription, but customers would need to consult with a pharmacist before obtaining them.”
(Reading: “Expanding the pharmacist’s role in providing emergency contraception,” Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association, 9-10/01, pp. 767-768)
sex education
GUTTMACHER STUDIES: A published table presents analyses of state policies on teaching sex education, parents opting out, abstinence education and more. The same issue of the Guttmacher Report contains features on the condom and legislative reports.
reflection for prayer
CARDINAL JOHN O’CONNOR: Christ was not a city planner, or a social engineer. He was love made flesh. He never proposed a political system. The only cure He offered for the ills of the world was love. And He did this the hard way. He did it by emptying Himself and becoming one of us in the womb of Mary, then by suffering and dying on a cross. That’s what love means. It’s not a sentimental ballad, a stroll in the park, a kiss in the dark. It’s inexhaustibly self-demanding, unconditionally self-sacrificing, and totally realistic. All true love is “tough love.”
(Reading: Catholic New York, 1/11/96)