ACOG President reponds to the Project

18 October, 2005

Mr. Sean Murphy
Protection of Conscience Project
7120 Tofino Street, Powell River
British Columbia, Canada V8A 1G3

Dear Mr. Murphy:

Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about ACOG's position regarding the Labor Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill. I am sorry that our position on this bill has caused you concern, and I want to assure you that comments from our ACOG members are important to us, are always taken seriously, and help inform our decisions.

ACOG, and I personally, recognize that support for or opposition to abortion is a matter of profound moral conviction, and ACOG respects the need and responsibility of its members to determine their individual positions on this issue based on their personal values and beliefs. We also want to assure that members with a diversity of views on this issue have a place in our organization.

ACOG's policy on abortion was developed in 1993 in a special session of our Executive Board, which included thoughtful and well-respected individuals on all sides of this difficult issue, and reaffirmed in July 2004. Through this policy, ACOG supports access to all needed health care for all women, without regard to financial status, and opposes unnecessary regulations that limit or delay access to care.

As you know, the bill in question specifically involves care paid for by federal Title X funds, and would limit access to care for primarily low income women. While ACOG would oppose any attempt to require physicians who have religious or moral objections to perform abortions, the issue of limiting access by not referring, particularly based on source of payment, is contrary to our position on any aspect of women's health care.

While this explanation may not resolve the long-standing debate among our members regarding abortion, I want to provide you with the basis for our position on this bill, and most importantly, to assure you that we take your concerns seriously.

Sincerely,