Arguments Against "Morning-After Pill" Not Given Fair Evaluation By Media

For several weeks, the Columbus Dispatch - the largest newspaper of the capital city of Ohio - has printed many editorials and letters to the editor that have defended the morning-after pill and embryonic stem cell research. There has been much criticism of a local pharmacist James Haninger, who in a letter to the Dispatch on May 20 defended his refusal to fill physicians' prescriptions for the "morning-after pill." There seems to be no end of his villification, nor of those "anti-choice militants" who would dare to threaten the health of future generations by protesting taxpayer-funded research of stem cells harvested from human embryos.

For all the talk in the Dispatch, it is a shame that there has been no commentary that has addressed, much less refuted, the sound scientific facts upon which the arguments against the "morning-after" pill and embryonic stem cell research are based: that a human being's life begins at fertilization (conception). Nor have I read any commentary that addressed the sincere ethical arguments against the "morning-after pill" and embryonic stem-cell research; that we should not kill or otherwise discriminate against innocent human beings on the basis of their size, their stage of development, their place of residence.

It is true that the "morning-after pill" may act as a contraceptive; if it is taken before ovulation, it may act to prevent conception. But if the pill is taken during or after ovulation, conception may occur and then the pill acts by preventing implantation of the newly-formed human being into the uterine wall, and thereby it acts as an abortifacient, not a contraceptive. Taking this medication, therefore, is a reckless disregard for human life, all of its contraceptive potential notwithstanding. Not only should pharmacist James Haninger not dispense "morning-after pills", but no one else should either! We should re-criminalize the killing of all innocent people, regardless of the victim's sex, race, age, perceived worth, or stage of development.

Pro-life pharmacists and physicians offer no protest to contraceptives that just prevent conception, but the morning-after pill is not just a contraceptive, but a human pesticide that kills innocent people. Similarly, no pro-lifer has a problem with stem-cell research, as long as the stem cells are not obtained through the killing and exploitation of innocent people.

Not the editors of the Columbus Dispatch, not the Supreme Court, not the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, not even a unanimous democratic consensus can overrule the Creator, who has not rescinded the sixth commandment* for women in crisis pregnancies or for hopeful paraplegics.

* "Thou shalt not murder" is the 5th commandment for Roman Catholics.

______________________ Dr. Johnston is a family practice physician in central Ohio and is Director of the Association of Prolife Physicians, a movement of physicians who are dedicated to restoring the pro-life Hippocratic ideal to a remnant of those within the medical profession (http://www.prolifephysicians.org/). He is also Vice Chairman of the Constitution Party of Ohio and a homeschooling father of five.