Healthcare Prof:

5 (1 votes)

The 5th US Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Wednesday split 8-8 on whether to review a choice that allows Louisiana to sell “Choose Life” license plates inside the state, leaving the prior ruling intact, the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports (Finch, New Orleans Times-Picayune, 12/22). Attorneys from the Center for Reproductive Rights in March 2003 filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the state’s entire specialty license plate system. U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval in July 2003 ruled that the technique violates the very first Amendment appropriate to totally free speech simply because the state Legislature “chooses who gets specialty tags — along with portion of the money from their sales.” A three-judge panel with the 5th Circuit Court in April 2005 reversed the choice, saying that the case is actually a state tax dispute that must be decided by state courts, and sent the case back to Duval with instructions to dismiss it. Abortion-rights advocates in Might asked the entire appeals court to reconsider the panel’s choice (Kaiser Every day Women’s Well being Policy Report, 5/3). William Rittenberg, a New Orleans-based lawyer representing the abortion-rights advocates within the case, said they likely will appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court (New Orleans Times-Picayune, 12/22).

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. It is possible to view the entire Kaiser Everyday Well being Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Day-to-day Wellness Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free of charge service with the Henry J. Kaiser Household Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Loved ones Foundation. All rights reserved.

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The… St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Thursday profiled Missouri state Rep. Michael Corcoran (D) — “who could generally be counted on to vote for any legislative effort to discourage abortions” — and his choice to join Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri and some other lawmakers at an event meant to “galvaniz[e] forces to oppose” legislation that would restrict access to emergency contraception. Based on the Post-Dispatch, a measure expected to be introduced in the Missouri Legislature next year would prevent Barr Laboratories’ emergency contraceptive Plan B to be sold with no a prescription even if FDA approves Barr’s application for nonprescription sales. Corcoran stated he had not yet decided on whether he would vote for a bill to shield Plan B but added that he wouldn’t oppose such a measure. Right after the meeting, he stated, “I’m fully behind Planned Parenthood and their prevention of unintended pregnancies. To me, this really is about funding programs to reduce the number of abortions.” Corcoran added that EC is 1 of those concerns exactly where “it’s not all cut and dried.” However, Pam Fichter, president of the antiabortion group Missouri Proper to Life, said her group plans to oppose any measure that would allow Plan B to be sold with out a prescription or require pharmacists to fill prescriptions for the drug. She stated that Corcoran’s attendance in the PPKM event “speaks for itself,” adding that she is disappointed that he and others would support nonprescription sales of Plan B (Mannies, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 12/15).

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. It is possible to view the entire Kaiser Everyday Well being Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Everyday Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free of charge service of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Firm and Kaiser Household Foundation. All rights reserved.

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Article Opinions:1 posts
Joel Brind, Professor of Biology at Baruch College, disputes the prevailing view that no link exists in between induced abortion and breast cancer. In this “critical review of current studies,” Brind finds flawed methodologies marred the findings of data collected from China, France, Scotland, Sweden and elsewhere.

Brind’article, Induced Abortion as an Independent Risk Factor for Breast Cancer: A Critical Review of Recent Studies Based on Prospective Data, is published inside the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons, Volume 19. Number 4, Winter 2005.

Because Brind believes that “reporting bias” makes retroactive data untrustworthy, he focuses his attention here on prospective studies-e.g. investigation that queried woman about their reproductive history prior to any diagnosis of breast cancer. But even in these studies, Brind finds a lot to skew outcomes. In a number of studies Brind notes a “cohort effect,” the result of comparing “two essentially different populations: the younger one which has experienced most of the abortions, along with the older one which has developed most with the breast cancers.”

Brind also identifies numerous “misclassifications,” typically of girls whose abortion were not recorded within the obtainable data. He also argues that follow-up times were too short to measure the long-term impact of abortion on the incidence of breast cancer-which, he notes, continues to increase.

In conclusion, Brind reasserts the conclusion of his 1996 “meta-analysis” with the abortion-breast cancer link. The study correlation holds and “induced abortion is indeed a risk factor for breast cancer, despite the strong and pervasive bias in current literature,” asserting the safety of the procedures that terminate pregnancy.

Baruch College, The City University of New York
17 Lexington Ave. Box D-0901
New York, NY 10010
United States
www.baruch.cuny.edu

Healthcare Prof:

Results of a study show that girls are significantly much more likely to be treated for sleep disorders or disturbances following an induced abortion compared to a birth. The observed risk was highest inside the very first 180 days right after pregnancy outcome but was not significant soon after the third year.

The authors examined the records of 15,345 ladies who had an induced abortion and 41,479 women who gave birth. Women with a history of treatment for sleep disorders during the period prior to the pregnancy outcome were excluded.

Compared to ladies who carry unintended pregnancies to term, research shows that girls who have abortions are much more susceptible to generalized anxiety disorder and depression and are a lot more likely to receive psychiatric treatment, according to background data inside the write-up. Sleep disorders are often linked to a mood disorder and are a common complaint related to posttraumatic stress disorder.

“Clinicians might be able to make more-appropriate referrals for counseling if they are aware of these potential relationships,” the authors write.

SLEEP could be the official journal with the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Study Society. Go on-line to www.journalsleep.org.

Find accurate medical info about sleep and sleep disorders at www.sleepeducation.com

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Massachusetts lawmakers on Wednesday introduced a bill that would expand abortion clinic buffer zones from 18 feet to 35 feet from a clinic’s entrance or driveway, the Boston Globe reports (Helman, Boston Globe, 12/29/05). The current law, which was passed in 2000, needs protesters to stay at least six feet away from clinic employees and patients and establishes an 18-foot zone within which individuals might not interact with clinic visitors or staff for the purpose of counseling or protesting (Kaiser Everyday Women’s Health Policy Report, 4/19/05). Proponents with the bill say the current law, which was enacted as a compromise among abortion-rights opponents and supporters, does not defend men and women entering clinics from potentially dangerous protesters. Nonetheless, Marie Sturgis, executive and legislative director of Massachusetts Citizens for Life, stated that increasing the buffer zone would prevent protesters from educating women about alternatives to abortion. Carol Rose — executive director with the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, which doesn’t support the legislation — said the new bill could create uneven boundaries for protesters at clinics, depending on a clinic’s location and access. “This presents a situation where two rights are in conflict: the proper of individuals to have access to medical care to which they are entitled and also the correct of folks to have their opposition to abortion … be heard,” Rose said. Proponents say the bill is modeled after similar state laws that have been upheld in federal courts. Gov. Mitt Romney (R) — who has stated he is “pro-life” but has promised not to change the state’s abortion laws — has not indicated whether he would sign the new bill, and it is unknown if the Legislature would have sufficient votes to override a veto (Boston Globe, 12/29/05).

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. It is possible to view the whole Kaiser Everyday Well being Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for e-mail delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Every day Well being Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service with the Henry J. Kaiser Loved ones Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

2 (two votes)

Healthcare Prof:

1 (1 votes)

Pope Benedict XVI in a speech on Wednesday restated the Catholic Church’s opposition to abortion and embryonic stem cell research, Reuters/MSNBC.com reports. In his weekly address at St. Peter’s Square in Rome, he said, “The loving eyes of God look on the human being, considered full and total at its beginning” (Reuters/MSNBC.com, 12/29/05). At his initial Christmas Eve midnight mass, the pope stated “the splendor” of Christmas “shines on every child, even on those still unborn” (AP/Richmond Times-Dispatch, 12/25/05). According to Reuters/MSNBC.com, the pope supports Italian Well being Minister Francesco Storace’s bid to allow an antiabortion group access to centers that counsel ladies searching for abortions. Voters will make a decision on the problem within the country’s general election in April (Reuters/MSNBC.com, 12/29/05).

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the whole Kaiser Every day Wellness Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for e-mail delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Every day Wellness Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a totally free service with the Henry J. Kaiser Loved ones Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Business and Kaiser Household Foundation. All rights reserved.

five (1 votes)

Healthcare Prof:

Law enforcement officials in Shreveport, La., on Saturday charged a 24-year-old woman and her 18-year-old boyfriend with attempting to bomb the Hope Medical Group for Women, which provides abortion services, the Shreveport Times reports. The bomb was thrown at the clinic on Dec. 12, 2005, but it apparently did not hit the building, which was not damaged. Both Patricia Hughes and Jeremy Dunahoe allegedly confessed to planning the bombing during questioning by investigators from the FBI, the Shreveport Fire Department as well as the Shreveport Police Department. Hughes has been charged with the manufacturing and possession of a delayed incendiary device, and Dunahoe was charged as an accessory. Further federal charges are pending, according to the Times. Hughes and Dunahoe did not give a “specific response” when asked why they attempted the bombing, based on Fire Department spokesperson Brian Crawford. The attempted bombing did not disrupt services in the clinic (McCabe, Shreveport Times, 1/1).

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. It is possible to view the whole Kaiser Every day Well being Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Well being Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a totally free service with the Henry J. Kaiser Loved ones Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.

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The American Bar Association on Wednesday gave Supreme Court nominee Judge Samuel Alito a rating of “well qualified,” the association’s highest rating, the New York Times reports (Kirkpatrick, New York Times, 1/5). “The ABA ratings do not take into account whether a judge’s judicial philosophy and views are in or out of the broad mainstream,” Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), a member with the Senate Judiciary Committee, said, adding, “That will be the $64,000 question with Judge Alito, and we will need to wait for the hearings to obtain a better answer.” Democrats say Alito is too “conservative” and could “undermine” abortion rights, according to the AP/Boston Globe. White Home spokesperson Scott McClellan stated that Democrats “have stated within the past that the ABA may be the, quote, ‘gold standard’ for evaluating judicial nominees” (Holland, AP/Boston Globe, 1/5).

Advertisements Criticizing Alito
The liberal group MoveOn.org Political Action on Wednesday announced the release of a new advertisement that criticizes the nomination of Alito and mentions statements he produced about abortion rights in a 1985 job application for a position inside the Department of Justice, the Times reports (New York Times, 1/5). Alito within the 1985 application to grow to be deputy assistant to former Attorney Common Edwin Meese wrote that he “personally believe[s] extremely strongly” within the legal position that abortion isn’t a constitutionally protected appropriate. Referring to his service as an assistant to former Solicitor Common Rex Lee inside the Reagan administration, Alito wrote, “I am particularly proud of my contributions in current instances in which the government has argued inside the Supreme Court that racial and ethnic quotas must not be allowed and that the Constitution doesn’t safeguard a appropriate to an abortion.” Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), chair of the judiciary committee, last month said Alito characterized the statements inside the job application as “a personal opinion … and said that his personal opinion wouldn’t be a factor in his judicial decision” (Kaiser Day-to-day Women’s Health Policy Report, 1/3). The MoveOn.org ad portrays Alito as “an actor receiving makeup and coaching” from a “handler,” based on the Times. “Yes, you wrote on a job application that a woman has no constitutional correct to an abortion,” the handler says, adding, “But your excuse is brilliant: You only did it to obtain the job.” The group stated it will pay $150,000 to run the ad on CNN and on local stations in some states beginning on Monday — the day Alito’s confirmation hearings inside the judiciary committee are scheduled to start (New York Times, 1/5).

Ads Supporting Alito’s Nomination
The conservative group Progress for America, which has been running ads supporting Alito’s nomination given that it was announced, stated it is spending $500,000 this week on ads on CNN, Fox News and on cable stations in Louisiana, North Dakota and Maine, the AP/Boston Globe reports (Holland, AP/Boston Globe, 1/5). The ad highlights a National Journal column by Stuart Taylor that says, “Some (but not all) reporters insinuate that Alito is actually a slippery character. … In fact, this is a judge who is widely admired by liberals, moderates and conservatives who know him nicely as fair-minded, committed to apolitical judging and wedded to no ideological agenda other than restraint in the exercise of judicial power” (PFA release, 1/3).

C-SPAN on Wednesday broadcast a news conference at which Kim Gandy, president of the National Organization for Girls, and other women’s groups announced a campaign to encourage ladies to examine Alito’s record on women’s issues (C-SPAN, 1/4). The total segment is accessible on the internet in RealPlayer and Windows Media.

C-SPAN on Thursday is scheduled to air a roundtable discussion, titled “Abortion along with the Supreme Court,” that will examine the history of the Supreme Court’s decisions on abortion rights, how new justices may possibly effect future decisions on the issue as well as the upcoming confirmation hearings. The program will include audio clips from oral arguments in four Supreme Court circumstances, which includes Roe v. Wade, Webster v. Reproductive Well being Services, Planned Parenthood v. Casey and Stenberg v. Carhart. Guests on the program are scheduled to include Helen Alvare, professor at Catholic University Law School, and Nina Pillard, professor at Georgetown University Law School (C-SPAN, 1/5). The total segment will be offered online in RealPlayer and Windows Media after the broadcast.

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You can view the whole Kaiser Day-to-day Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for e-mail delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Well being Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a free service of the Henry J. Kaiser Household Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Business and Kaiser Loved ones Foundation. All rights reserved.

1 (1 votes)

Healthcare Prof:

2 (1 votes)

The group Alliance for Justice, which supports abortion rights, in a “show of solidarity on the first Amendment,” recently filed a friend-of-the-court brief with all the Supreme Court supporting the antiabortion group Wisconsin Correct to Life’s constitutional challenge of the McCain-Feingold federal campaign finance law, the Washington Post reports (Sarasohn, Washington Post, 1/5). The Supreme Court in December 2003 voted 5-4 to uphold key provisions with the law, and the ruling prohibits interest groups from running ads that mention candidates for federal office within 30 days of a primary election and within 60 days of a general election. WRTL in its lawsuit was looking for permission to run television and radio ads within 30 days of a 2004 primary that mentioned Sen. Russell Feingold’s (D-Wis.) name and focused on his opposition to a number of of President Bush’s judicial nominees. The group claims that the campaign finance law’s prohibitions against such ads are unconstitutional. A three-judge panel with the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in August 2004 unanimously rejected WRTL’s challenge to the campaign finance law provisions that prohibit the use of interest groups’ “issue ads” during the weeks preceding an election. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia in September 2004 stated that WRTL would need to appeal the case directly towards the Supreme Court, and the court accepted the case in September 2005 (Kaiser Everyday Women’s Health Policy Report, 9/28/05). Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron stated that although her group is opposing the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court and WRTL is supporting it, the groups have “joined forces to shield all our freedoms” within the challenge to McCain-Feingold. “There’s an unfortunate tendency for groups in Washington to want to use campaign finance laws for partisan advantage,” WRTL attorney James Bopp said, adding, “One with the messages to the court is this can be not a partisan issue.” Oral arguments within the case are scheduled for Jan. 17 (Washington Post, 1/5).

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You’ll be able to view the entire Kaiser Daily Wellness Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for e-mail delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Day-to-day Wellness Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a cost-free service with the Henry J. Kaiser Loved ones Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Business and Kaiser Loved ones Foundation. All rights reserved.

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The Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization has prompted a debate by issuing questionnaires to Cook County, Ill., judicial candidates to determine their stances on problems including abortion, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. The surveys, which are designed to determine a candidate’s positions on controversial problems, say, “Without appearing to commit yourself with respect to circumstances, please ‘announce’ your position concerning the proper of a woman to have an abortion” (Pallasch, Chicago Sun-Times, 1/4). The U.S. Supreme Court in 2002 ruled in a 5-4 decision that state judicial candidates have a right to cost-free speech in the course of campaigns and might openly discuss their views on “controversial issues” for example abortion (Kaiser Everyday Women’s Wellness Policy Report, 6/28/02). Some say Illinois’ Code of Judicial Conduct holds candidates to higher standards, the Sun-Times reports. IVI-IPO Treasurer James Shapiro stated, “I think we’re squarely within the letter with the law, as long as it is understood a judge is just not committing himself or herself to how he or she would rule on the law.” Shapiro added that some candidates already have endorsements from antiabortion or abortion-rights groups. Although candidates are not necessary to answer the questions, the survey states that not doing so may “adversely impact” endorsement applications (Chicago Sun-Times, 1/4).

“Reprinted with permission from http://www.kaisernetwork.org. You are able to view the entire Kaiser Daily Well being Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for e-mail delivery at http://www.kaisernetwork.org/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Everyday Wellness Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork.org, a totally free service with the Henry J. Kaiser Family members Foundation . 2005 Advisory Board Firm and Kaiser Family members Foundation. All rights reserved.