How does society reconcile the rights of a patient with the moral beliefs of an institution?
Carol Petraitis, Director of the Clara Bell Duvall Reproductive Freedom Project of the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, addressed this fundamental issue to a small group of students last night at the Penn Women's Center.
During her talk, Petraitis explained that while 43 percent of women have had an abortion, only about 2 percent of these procedures are related to dangerous circumstances.
To demonstrate the gravity of this problem, she provided examples of cases in which women were denied an abortion.
One example is Sophie Smith, a pregnant 19-year-old who had a life-threatening blood clot in her lung.
Her doctors told her that to save her life, she would either have to stay in the hospital for the last six months of her pregnancy or have an abortion.
Due to financial constraints, Smith decided to go through with the operation.
Nonetheless, on the day the abortion was scheduled, the hospital lawyer told her that the hospital would not go through with the procedure because it was against their policy as a religiously-affiliated institution.
Smith had no option but to have the abortion at her doctor's office, which was riskier.
Although Smith survived, Petraitis expressed frustration at the way this and many similar situations turned out. She argued that the Federal Refusal Clause, which allows medical professionals to refuse to perform certain tasks based on moral beliefs, must be restricted.
Petraitis explained that the ACLU holds a position of "reasonable accommodation," which allows employees to refuse to provide certain services as long as they inform their employer and patient.
Petraitis argued that any institution that receives public funding or serves the public has an obligation to provide to that public. So although a particular doctor may refuse to perform an abortion, the ACLU holds that an institution may not, regardless of its religious affiliation.
Petraitis stated that she and the ACLU have a "huge commitment to religious freedom," but a clear line needs to be drawn between morals and medical rights.
She said the ultimate goal of the guidelines the ACLU imposes is to protect people who are vulnerable and promote values of society without discrimination.
However, Petraitis acknowledged the disparity of opinions and the sensitivity of the subject.
"It's really difficult in some of these situations to balance these two beliefs," she said.
