Where Is HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt When You Need Him?

Photo by HHS

Can you be a theology professor at a Roman Catholic University and refuse to teach Roman Catholic theology to your students because of a personal belief objection to the theology? Of course not.

Rosemary Radford Ruether's appointment to theology professor was withdrawn by the University of Sand Diego, a Roman Catholic school, because of her role with the abortion-rights organization Catholics for Choice.

You can only be guaranteed employment when you refuse to do your job because of "a religious objection to any health service, no matter how central to the job or health of the woman" if you're an Ob/Gyn. (emphasis mine)

If only Rosemary Radford Ruether had applied herself to become an Ob/Gyn she, too, could've had Secretary Mike Leavitt stand up for her and defend her right to put herself first and blow off her patients like the insignificant pieces of garbage that they actually are.

Because if the mission of the DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES isn't to protect the personal/religious beliefs of healthcare workers to the detriment of the, you know, very health of the patients I don't know what is!

Government Says Women Must Get Belief-Based Medical Care

***UPDATED***

Photo by Anosmia

Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt calls on the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology to reject a new ACOG opinion (# 385) which states that physicians have a duty to refer patients in a timely manner to other providers if they're unable to provide evidenced-based reproductive care to their patients.

Leavitt frets about the conscience and other individual rights of health care providers and, correctly, points out that there are federal laws in place to protect Ob/Gyns who practice belief-based medicine and provide substandard care. He's also concerned about the serious economic harm [that might be caused] to good practitioners.

No word yet from the Health and Human Services Secretary on his concerns about the conscience and other individual rights of female patients and the serious physical and economical harm caused by being denied access to adequate medical care.

Not that the rights and quality of medical care of women of reproductive age should be any concern of the Health and Human Services Secretary. After all, unlike for any other class of people in this country, only for women with a certain anatomy and physiology is it considered acceptable public policy and public discourse to legislate and advocate for belief-based care and imminent danger of loss of limb or life as a condition of receiving medical care.

UPDATE:

The American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology responds and assures Mike Leavitt that practicing evidence-based medicine and making sure patients have access to proper medical are in no way, shape or form factor[s] in the decision about board certification.

Not satisfied with this appalling lowering of standards, Health and Human Services Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Don Wright said that the Government still hope[s] that [ACOG] would revisit their position and give up altogether on the idea that belief-based medicine shouldn't be the standard of care for female patients of reproductive age.

I realize that in the current climate there are many issues--race relations, the war, etc.--competing for your attention. So all I'll ask you to do is to pause for a moment and image what would happen in this country if the Government and a medical specialty certification board came out and said that it is acceptable not to provide proper medical care to a segment of the population just because they are black, or they had their prostate removed, or are natural blonds. Inconceivable, no?