Protecting Health Care Professionals

There's a growing number of states that are debating the issue of regulating pharmacists who have moral objections to filling certain medical prescriptions that violate their conscience - specifically in the area of abortion or contraception.

In fact, California is considering legislation that would force pharmacists to fill prescriptions despite their moral objection to doing so - the first law of its kind in the nation.  Four states have passed legislation giving pharmacists the right to refuse to fill such prescriptions. 

This is a very important issue and at the American Center for Law and Justice we are monitoring these developments very closely.  I want you to know that we are defending a federal law protecting pro-life health care professionals.  The law bars federal funds from going to federal or state programs that discriminate against health care professionals who do not participate in abortion services.  It is being challenged in the courts and we have filed a brief in support of the measure.

I have been talking with Frank Manion, one of my senior attorneys, who does a lot of this litigation.  It is a troubling issue and one that I want you to learn more about.  I am sending an email on this topic to hundreds of thousands of our members. I have already communicated the importance of this issue to those who receive our mail correspondence. This is a critical issue for the legal community and for the health care professionals.

I will continue to push for measures to protect life -- and to protect the health care professionals who want to work without compromising their deeply held religious beliefs.