Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

eridani

(51,907 posts)
Wed May 11, 2016, 04:04 AM May 2016

New Utah Law Will Require Abortion Doctors to Lie to Their Patients

http://readersupportednews.org/news-section2/318-66/36804-new-utah-law-will-require-abortion-doctors-to-lie-to-their-patients

A new Utah law that goes into effect on Tuesday will force doctors to shirk their promise to “do no harm” by dangerously over-anesthetizing women who seek a later abortion.

Informed by anti-abortion state lawmakers rather than by medical experts, the “Protecting Unborn Children Amendment” requires physicians to administer an anesthetic to any women seeking an abortion at 20 weeks of pregnancy or later, to “eliminate or alleviate organic pain to the unborn child.” Like many anti-abortion laws on the state level, Utah’s law rests on the unscientific belief that a fetus can feel pain at 20 weeks of gestation.

Most states that introduce “fetal pain” legislation try to ban abortions entirely after 20 weeks — and at least 12 have been successful. Utah is the first to pass a anesthesia-related bill instead of outright prohibiting the practice. But according to physicians, it may as well be a ban.

“You’re asking me to invent a procedure that doesn’t have any research to back it up,” said Dr. Leah Torres, an OB-GYN who works at one of Utah’s two licensed abortion clinics, in an interview with the New York Times. “You want me to experiment on my patients.”

Utah physicians have strongly opposed the bill since its inception, arguing that unscientific opinions from state lawmakers have no place in a safe doctor-patient relationship — especially if they put a woman’s life at risk.
2 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
New Utah Law Will Require Abortion Doctors to Lie to Their Patients (Original Post) eridani May 2016 OP
Drs strongly oppose this bill. I wonder if the constituents Ilsa May 2016 #1
And the AMA says...? Crash2Parties May 2016 #2

Ilsa

(61,695 posts)
1. Drs strongly oppose this bill. I wonder if the constituents
Wed May 11, 2016, 06:35 AM
May 2016

Knew that. Are doctors also vocal in opposing the legislation publicly, or are they having to hide from RW extremist terrorists?

Unqualified Legislators should not be allowed to practice medicine like this.

Crash2Parties

(6,017 posts)
2. And the AMA says...?
Sun May 15, 2016, 01:29 AM
May 2016

(typically, nothing.)

Also, this:


Please note just how little of the brain's structure and functionality is actually present at 20 weeks - essentially NONE.

Latest Discussions»Alliance Forums»Feminists»New Utah Law Will Require...