by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
A new nationwide poll has found that 87 percent of adults believe healthcare professionals should not be forced to participate in procedures to which they have moral objections.
The new poll comes just as the Obama Administration is expected to rescind new regulations by the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) that are aimed at curbing a growing crisis of abortion-related discrimination that could force thousands of healthcare professionals out of medicine. A public comment period on the matter ended April 9.
The poll, conducted by the polling company ™, Inc./WomanTrend on behalf of the Christian Medical Association (CMA), found majority support even among self-identified “pro-choice” respondents for the regulations now at risk of being rescinded.
The survey also exposed the need for the new regulations with 23 percent of respondents saying they experienced discrimination during medical school because of their moral/ethical beliefs. Thirty-two percent said they had experienced pressure to refer a patient for a procedure to which they morally objected and 26 percent were pressured to write a prescription to which they morally objected.
“The Obama administration has moved to rescind a vital HHS regulation protecting the conscience rights of health care providers,” said Deirdre McQuade, spokeswoman on abortion for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
“But according to this new survey, the majority of Americans—whether ‘pro-life’ or ‘pro-choice’, male or female, Republican or Democratic—support the regulation and oppose its rescission.”
The poll also found that strong support among the citizenry for conscience protection is likely to play out in the ballot box next year. When asked how they would view their member of Congress if he or she voted against conscience protection rights, 54 percent said they would be less likely to back their Representative. This feeling was shared by 43 percent of respondents who said they voted for Barack Obama in 2008.
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