Trump wants to help protect doctors who refuse abortion

alejomiranda / Epictura

Published the 21.01.2018 at 19h42

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Donald Trumpavortementdroit of patientsaccès to soinsEtats united States

It is a new step in the cultural war that plays out in the United States. The administration Trump announced last week its desire to better protect physicians and other health professionals who wish to refrain from certain acts for religious reasons, such as abortion or support for gender reassignment.

“Too many health professionals were harassed and discriminated against because of their religious beliefs and their moral convictions, which has led many of them to question their future within our health system,” said Eric Hargan, the secretary of State for the american Health care in an acting capacity, in a public statement (in English), held last Thursday in the company of several officials and members of the majority.

The administration has put in place a new entity within the directorate of civil Rights (Office for Civil Rights of the department of Health, called the “division for Freedom of conscience and religion” (Conscience and Religious Freedom Division). According to the official press release (in English), this division will lead to the ” apply with more force and effectiveness of the current laws aimed to protect the freedom of conscience and religion, which is the first freedom guaranteed by the bill of rights “.

Abortion in the viewfinder

In the line of sight of this new entity : abortion, a line of cleavage major in public opinion and political marker of the central administration Trump. According to a survey released in July 2017 by the Pew Research Center, two-thirds (65 %) of the supporters republicans are partially or totally opposed to abortion. Among White evangelical protestants, who constitute the main seat of election of Donal Trump, the rate rises to 70 %.

This decision is part of a general offensive of the administration Trump against abortion. The website the Hill reports that the administration announced on Friday its desire to block elements a provision of 2016, which prevented the states to remove subsidies, Medicaid (health care coverage to the poorest Americans) in family Planning. In fact, access to abortion is already very difficult in the Bible Belt (South Is conservative) and a part of the Midwest, where the clinical ABORTION close one by one. A movement began before the election of Trump.

Difficulties of access to health care forecast

Concerns also focus on support for gender reassignment to the destination of transgender people. Are also concerned euthanasia and assisted suicide (legal in some states), as well as contraceptive sterilisation (tubal ligation and vasectomy), very used in the United States. As many of the practices challenged by the Americans the most religious, who see it as an affront to human nature.

As noted by the Los Angeles Times, several laws already exist to prevent the federal government from discriminating against doctors refusing to perform abortions or sterilizations on moral grounds or religious. It is the refusal to perform the assisted suicide, protected by… the Obamacare. For many commentators, the creation of Conscience and Religious Freedom Division gives every reason to fear a domino effect, leading to a denial of care for the patients concerned.