Weigh In on Repeal of Rights of Conscience for Medical Personnel

Illinois Family Institute Dave Smith stirred up attendees at the Patriots United Pro-Life Unity Breakfast in early April.

Illinois Family Institute Dave Smith at a Patriots United Pro-Life Unity Breakfast.

From David Smith of the Illinois Family Institute:

Senator Pam Althoff (R-McHenry) wants to hear from her constituents on SB 1564, which would eliminate rights of conscience for medical personnel.

Please call her district office (815) 455-6330 while she is on spring break from March 31st to April 13th.

Background on SB 1564
From the Christian Medical & Dental Associations 

SB1564 threatens healthcare access and healthcare costs will rise.  Without the conscience protection regulation and laws, many conscientious and compassionate medical professionals and institutions will be forced out of medicine.  Many faith based hospitals that provide services to thousands of patients may shut down rather than perform objectionable procedures. 95% of physicians in a national poll agreed, “I would rather stop practicing medicine altogether than be forced to violate my conscience.” Healthcare costs will rise because of the lack of doctors and medical facilities.

SB1564 threatens to cause damage to the doctor-patient relationship.  The conscience clause is a necessary regulation to preserve the exclusive doctor-patient relationship. If SB1564 passes it would put us at risk of reverting toward a pre-Hippocratic medical ethic.  Hippocratic medicine has served Western medicine well for over 2 millennia by insuring the patient could trust the physician’s integrity to focus on care that was in their best interests. Your doctor’s conscience may someday be the last line of protection between you and those who would profit from your early death.

SB1564 threatens a protection which is guaranteed by the Constitution.  Denying the constitutional freedoms of one group is a threat to the constitutional freedoms of every one of us.  This right will soon be under attack in other professions, in our schools, and even in your place of worship and mine! If doctors lose their right to practice according to their conscience without pressure or reprisal, then other fundamental rights such as our freedom of speech will also fall like dominos.

  • 87% of people oppose forcing professionals to violate  their moral objections
  • 88% of the public wants a healthcare professional that shares their moral values.
  • The majority of voters are less likely to vote for their elected officials if they knew they had taken away conscience rights.

Requiring medical personnel to behave in a way they object to morally and/or medically is unacceptable and must be rejected.

Cal, please call Senator Althoff today (815) 455-6330 and urge her to OPPOSE SB 1564.

Thank you!


Comments

Weigh In on Repeal of Rights of Conscience for Medical Personnel — 1 Comment

  1. I deeply resent any attempt, by both sides of the culture wars, to micromanage medical matters.

    It is WRONG, for instance, for pro-choicers to coerce physicians who do not wish to perform abortions, to do so against their conscience.

    If you want to have more physicians who perform abortions, step up to the plate, learn obstetrics yourself, or send your son/daughter to train for it.

    Do not coerce ME to do abortions that I do not think need to be done.

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