Podhoretz on Abortion Issue
Norman Podhoretz’ column (“Science Poses a Stark new Choice to Those Who’ve Been Neutral on Abortion Issue,” Op-Ed Page, April 21) explaining why he has joined the anti-abortionists is based almost entirely on false premises. He refers to a famous scientist--a Nobel Laureate--who believed in testing all newborns for genetic defects and permitting only those infants who passed the test to live. He quotes the scientist as saying, “If you’re willing to dispose of a baby before birth, why not afterward?” He does not name the famous scientist who came up with this spine-chilling idea, which fans the flames of hysteria used by the anti-abortionists, so there is no way to verify the statement or the source. He claims, again without naming sources, that a number of infants with severe brain damage have already been put to death so that their other organs could be “put to good use” as transplants. He even goes so far as to invoke the name of Hitler and he rambles on about the possibility of women becoming pregnant only to produce fetal organs for profit. And he predicts that the line between legalized abortion and legitimation of infanticide is going to disappear.
I frankly do not believe that any brain-damaged infants have been put to death to make their organs available for transplant. This is a special interest of mine and in all the literature I have read, the medical facilities are required to make very certain that the infant is brain-dead before transplant procedures are begun. And his prediction of women becoming pregnant only for the purpose of selling the fetal organs is almost too simplistic for comment. Nearly all abortions are performed before the 15th week of gestation, too soon for organs to be harvested for transplant. The only fetal material available would be from a rare spontaneous abortion after the 18th-20th week of gestation.
Medical science is on the threshold of making fantastic progress through the use of fetal and/or newborn organ transplants. What better way is there for the parents of an anencephalic infant to give its birth meaning? Podhoretz’ pseudo-scientific article is nothing but an emotional piece filled with half-truths and innuendoes.
RICHARD KOCH, M.D.
Professor, Clinical Pediatrics
USC School of Medicine
