AMA Condemns High Court Ruling on Abortion Counseling

The American Medical Assn. on Tuesday condemned a U.S. Supreme Court ruling barring federally funded clinics from discussing abortion with patients, saying it infringes on the doctor-patient relationship.

On a voice vote with no opposition, the AMA’s policy-making House of Delegates passed a resolution warning of “inherent dangers” in the recent high court ruling.

The court ruled on May 23 that staff members at federally funded clinics can be barred from discussing abortion with pregnant women or from telling them where to get an abortion.

“Do patients in this country really want judges and politicians on the examining table with them?” asked Nancy Dickey, an AMA board member.

The AMA, with nearly 300,000 members, is the largest association of physicians in the United States. Association policy states that abortion is a matter between doctors and patients.

Dickey said AMA members, regardless of their views on abortion, were outraged by the ruling.

“We really don’t perceive this as an abortion issue. We see it as a doctor-patient issue,” she said. “I want the right to tell my patients what the options are.”

Dickey said many doctors are worried that if the government can tell them what they can and cannot say about abortion, it eventually may tell them what to say and do in other matters.

Also Tuesday, delegates urged the government to change the warning label on cigarette packs to read: “Smoking is ADDICTIVE and may result in DEATH.”

The organization also renewed its call for an end to all kinds of advertising and promotion of tobacco.