Letter to the Editor: Gag Rule is Unethical

Originally posted in the Hudson Register Star

To the editor:

I am writing to express my concern regarding the gag rule recently proposed by the Trump-Pence administration. This gag rule is medically unethical and a blatant attempt to infringe on women's basic rights.

Title X is a federal program which has for decades provided funding for reproductive healthcare, like preventative cancer screening and birth control, for women who could not otherwise afford this care.

Not only would this proposed gag rule make it illegal for health care providers in the Title X program to inform their patients on how to access safe, legal abortion; it would also implement other regulations designed to keep millions of women from accessing birth control and other preventative care, from providers like Planned Parenthood.

It is 2018. The fact that something like this is on the table is frightening and absurd.

Recent polling has shown an overwhelming opposition to Trump's gag rule as 73 percent of Americans - myself included - disapprove of these efforts to restrict women's rights and access to health care. More than 200 members of Congress, over 110 public health organizations, major medical associations such as the American Medical Association, and PlannedParenthood's 11 million supporters are coming out against this dangerous rule because it is just that: dangerous.

I urge your readers to stand against this proposed rule and see it for what it is: an assault on our basic rights.

Deborah Shakotko
Claverack

Letter to the Editor: Gag Rule is a Full Frontal Attack

Originally posted in the Catskill Daily News

To the editor:

I am a Registered Nurse writing to express my concern regarding President Trump's recently proposed gag rule. Frankly, it is a full frontal attack on women's basic rights. Not only would this rule prohibit health care providers under the Title X program from informing their patients on how to access safe, legal abortions; it would also implement other rules designed to keep millions from accessing birth control and preventative care, including cancer screenings from providers like PlannedParenthood. Fundamentally, it removes the guarantee that patients will receive complete and accurate information about their health care from their providers. I finds this absolutely frightening. No one should ever be denied basic information about their health care.

This proposed gag rule has already been met with opposition, especially from the medical community. The American Nurses Association has stated that this rule "violates basic ethics of the nursing profession." In addition, new polling shows 73 percent of Americans oppose administration actions like the domestic gag rule.

Planned Parenthood plays an enormous role in providing care and consistently outperforms other publicly funded providers. In New York, in 2015, Planned Parenthood served 144,640 or 52 percent of women in the Title X program. If Planned Parenthood were to be excluded from Title X, other Title X-funded sites would have to increase their caseloads by 111%. That is not only infeasible but morally wrong as this will result in a major blow to health care access for low-income people.

I urge your readers see this as what it is: an attack on our basic rights.

Christine Primomo, R.N.
Ravena

Letter to the Editor: Title X gag rule only hurts those in need

Reposted from the Times Union

I am a 72-year-old retired obstetrician/gynecologist. Before my retirement, I had my own private practice and also had various roles at our local Planned Parenthoods.

I am writing to express my dismay at the institution of what is a domestic gag rule on Title X providers (doctors, nurses, community health centers, etc.) as of May 22. Title X is the federal program that provides funding to subsidize people needing reproductive health care and contraception. None of the Title X money funds abortions.

The gag rule makes it illegal for health care providers to mention the word abortion. We cannot say that it is legal, that it is safe or how to obtain one.

What will the effect of this gag rule be? The underserved women who rely on Planned Parenthood clinics for their birth control and reproductive health care will not be able to go there anymore because Planned Parenthood will steadfastly continue to provide counseling and access to safe, legal abortion. Women who have the resources to see a private OB/GYN will not suffer from the gag rule.
Planned Parenthood serves 40 percent of Title X patients. A third of women who rely on Title X funding live in counties where Planned Parenthood is the only provider of contraceptive and reproductive services.

The obvious end result of this is that women with limited resources will not get contraception. No contraception will mean increased rates of unintended pregnancies and abortions for this marginalized group. They also will not get screening for sexually transmitted infections and cancer.

My question is: Why does our government want to make life even harder for women who are struggling with adversity already?

Margaret Craven, M.D.
Voorheesville