Pro-life doctors are poised to take legal action against a national medical board after it threatened the certification status of physicians who promote “misinformation and disinformation” about abortion.
Donna Harrison, CEO of the American Association of Pro-life Obstetricians and Gynecologists {AAPLOG), blasted the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG) for its July 7 statement on “misinformation and disinformation and medical professionalism.”
“The threat by the pro-abortion American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology to cancel the board certification of tens of thousands of OBGYNs who educate their patients about the peer-reviewed, evidence-based facts concerning abortion is an unprecedented intrusion into the doctor-patient relationship,” Dr. Harrison said in a statement.
“AAPLOG will take actions needed to protect the legal rights of our members and ensure that physicians are free to provide the information that patients need in order to make a decision based on fully informed consent,” she added.
The board, which certifies obstetricians and gynecologists, said it would “review reports of dissemination of misinformation and disinformation about COVID-19, reproductive health care, abortion and other OBGYN practices that may harm the patients we serve or public health.”
“Eligibility to gain or maintain ABOG certification may be lost if ABOG determines that [physicians] do not meet the standards that they have agreed to meet and that the public deserves and expects,” the statement reads.
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Pro-life doctors have challenged assertions by pro-choice advocates in the weeks since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
“As demonstrated by hundreds of studies over nearly five decades, abortive procedures carry several deleterious effects for women, including the risk of preterm birth and mental health problems,” Dr. Christina Francis said in July 19 testimony before a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee. “These problems have a statistically greater impact on minority populations.”
In its statement, ABOG said that misinformation “about contraception and abortion can create false narratives about essential safe practices in the specialty” and be used “to advocate for legislation, regulations, criminal code, and health policy.”
“ABOG considers the dissemination of misinformation and disinformation that may threaten the health of the patients who place their trust in its [physicians] to be a violation of medical professionalism,” the board said.
The pro-life group, which represents nearly 7,000 medical professionals, said it has not received a response to a July 11 letter from its attorney warning ABOG that any actions taken against pro-life doctors may result in “legal liability.”
FROM OUR ATTORNEYS: “If ABOG takes action against pro-life diplomates, legal liability may result.” @boardobgyn pic.twitter.com/9IbF1U1hn5
— AAPLOG (@aaplog) July 22, 2022
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The letter from attorney Heather Gebelin Hacker, former Texas assistant solicitor general, also represented the Catholic Medical Association and the Christian Medical and Dental Association.
“ABOG’s statement plainly seeks to intimidate diplomates who may offer opinions or testimony that state legislatures or courts may rely on in examining abortion regulations,” Ms. Hacker said. “It is a naked attempt to prevent these diplomates from exercising their constitutionally protected rights.”
The Washington Times has reached out to ABOG for comment.
Shortly after the Supreme Court released its June 24 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, ABOG issued a statement reiterating its support for “access to safe and legal pregnancy termination which is essential to reproductive health” and “the full spectrum of reproductive health care, including abortion.”
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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