Welcome to The Pro Life Campaign Blogspot

Thank you for visiting our blog. We want this to be a rich and informative discussion forum and look forward to your participation. You can visit our website at www.prolifecampaign.ie or email us on info@prolifecampaign.ie







Friday, November 25, 2011

Survey ignores crucial facts on abortion, says PLC


A new survey which claims that over half of Irish GPs favour legal abortion “fails to take account of key facts,” the Pro Life Campaign (PLC) has said.

The survey, carried out by Dr Mark Murphy from Sligo claims to have found that slightly more than 50% of doctors believe a termination of pregnancy “should be available to a woman who chooses” it. Dr Murphy wrote to 500 established GPs and 250 GPs in training. There was a 44% response rate.

Responding to the poll, spokesperson Dr Ruth Cullen, said that the survey “failed to take account of key facts and distinctions”.

Dr Cullen said: “Crucially, the survey ignores the vital ethical distinction between necessary medical interventions in pregnancy and abortion which intentionally ends the life of the baby.

"For this reason alone, the survey sheds no new light on the abortion debate.”

She also pointed out that Dr Murphy's survey continuously uses the expression “termination of pregnancy” throughout.

Dr Cullen continued: “It is important to note that not all terminations are induced abortions. Birth is a termination of pregnancy as are necessary early deliveries where the baby may be extremely immature. But there is a profound ethical difference between such terminations and induced abortion, which directly targets the life of the baby.”

“As other surveys have shown, when these clear ethical distinctions are pointed out to respondents, it elicits a very different answer,” she added.

Dr Cullen also took issue with the survey's finding that four in 10 respondents believe that “a woman’s healthcare suffers because of the requirement to travel to have a termination”.

She remarked: “The survey asks doctors about the possible effects on women of having to travel for abortion. However, remarkably given the most recent evidence showing the adverse effects of abortion on women, it fails to ask them whether they have encountered women who suffered from undergoing abortion itself.

Robust peer reviewed research highlighting these adverse consequences for women from abortion have appeared in the British Journal of Psychiatry and other authoritative publications.

Dr Cullen also suggested that there were “very legitimate questions” that could be raised about the methodology used in Dr Murphy's survey.

She noted: “For example, even assuming that a correct representative sample was chosen initially, only 44pc of those who were written to replied.

Such a sample, Dr Cullen said “could not be considered as a scientifically representative sample”.


Survey ignores crucial facts on abortion, says PLC


A new survey which claims that over half of Irish GPs favour legal abortion “fails to take account of key facts,” the Pro Life Campaign (PLC) has said.

The survey, carried out by Dr Mark Murphy from Sligo claims to have found that slightly more than 50% of doctors believe a termination of pregnancy “should be available to a woman who chooses” it. Dr Murphy wrote to 500 established GPs and 250 GPs in training. There was a 44% response rate.

Responding to the poll, spokesperson Dr Ruth Cullen, said that the survey “failed to take account of key facts and distinctions”.

Dr Cullen said: “Crucially, the survey ignores the vital ethical distinction between necessary medical interventions in pregnancy and abortion which intentionally ends the life of the baby.

"For this reason alone, the survey sheds no new light on the abortion debate.”

She also pointed out that Dr Murphy's survey continuously uses the expression “termination of pregnancy” throughout.

Dr Cullen continued: “It is important to note that not all terminations are induced abortions. Birth is a termination of pregnancy as are necessary early deliveries where the baby may be extremely immature. But there is a profound ethical difference between such terminations and induced abortion, which directly targets the life of the baby.”

“As other surveys have shown, when these clear ethical distinctions are pointed out to respondents, it elicits a very different answer,” she added.

Dr Cullen also took issue with the survey's finding that four in 10 respondents believe that “a woman’s healthcare suffers because of the requirement to travel to have a termination”.

She remarked: “The survey asks doctors about the possible effects on women of having to travel for abortion. However, remarkably given the most recent evidence showing the adverse effects of abortion on women, it fails to ask them whether they have encountered women who suffered from undergoing abortion itself.

Robust peer reviewed research highlighting these adverse consequences for women from abortion have appeared in the British Journal of Psychiatry and other authoritative publications.

Dr Cullen also suggested that there were “very legitimate questions” that could be raised about the methodology used in Dr Murphy's survey.

She noted: “For example, even assuming that a correct representative sample was chosen initially, only 44pc of those who were written to replied.

Such a sample, Dr Cullen said “could not be considered as a scientifically representative sample”.

Friday, November 18, 2011


Pro Life Campaign welcomes decision of Geron Corporation to cease embryonic stem cell research

 

This week’s decision by one of the world’s foremost promoters of scientific research involving the destruction of human embryos has been hailed by the Pro Life Campaign (PLC) as "very welcome”.

Geron Corporation, a US-based firm, was involved in carrying out the first US government-backed embryonic stem cell research. But the lack of progress in producing a commercially viable product forced the company to cease its operations in this area.

In a statement responding to the move, spokesperson for the PLC, Dr Ruth Cullen, said that the decision by Geron showed that “research which treats human beings as commodities is unviable scientifically and ethically”.

She continued: “For over a decade, the cheerleaders for embryonic stem cell research (ESCR) have been trying to convince us of its ‘almost unlimited potential’ to cure a variety of diseases.  But the fact remains that in that time period, ESCR has produced virtually no scientific or medical breakthroughs.

“Geron’s decision this week shows that, despite lavish Government funding, this area of research is unsustainable, both scientifically and ethically.”

Dr Cullen also pointed out that adult stem cell research, which is ethically uncontroversial, has yielded a range of medical advances over the same time period.

She said: “In a range of areas, from heart disease to brain cancer treatments, adult stem cell research has produced results that are being used today.

“Adult stem cell science is a win-win solution. It does not involve the destruction of human life and it is repeatedly demonstrating its worth in medical and scientific terms.”

Dr Cullen added that it was now time, following this decision, and the ruling last month by the European Court of Justice to acknowledge the humanity of the embryo, to legislate to protect the embryo from destructive research.

“It is past time for the Government to act on this issue. The Irish people have repeatedly said that they would back laws vindicating the dignity of the embryo, and it is increasingly clear that even the scientific rationale behind ESCR is negligible. The Government must legislate to protect the embryo.”, Dr. Cullen concluded.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

New Opinion Poll Shows Significant Support for Pro-Life Position


Over two thirds of Irish people want to see the right to life of the unborn child protected in law, according to a new poll commissioned by the Pro Life Campaign.

The poll was conducted by Millward Brown Lansdowne on a national random sample of 984 adults.
Respondents were asked: “Are you in favour or opposed to constitutional protection for the unborn that prohibits abortion but allows the continuation of the existing practice of intervention to save a mother's life, in accordance with Irish medical ethics?”

61 per cent favoured constitutional protection for the unborn child, with 17 per cent opposed. Twenty two per cent didn't know or had no opinion.

When this 22 per cent is excluded, 78 per cent of people favour legal protection for the unborn, while 22 per cent are opposed.

Responding to the findings, Dr Berry Kiely, spokesperson for the PLC, said the poll “once again confirmed that the vast majority of Irish people see the unborn child as a fellow human being, fully deserving of the right to life”.

At a press conference in Dublin today to highlight the findings, Dr Kiely said that Irish law “should continue to respect Irish medical practice, which gives the best care in the world to both the pregnant mother and her child.”

She said: “For nearly two decades, international figures have shown that Ireland has consistently been the safest country in the world for women to give birth in. The most up-to-date figures from the World Health Organisation confirmed this again in 2010.

“This is a fact of which many people are not aware, but of which we should be immensely proud.”
Referring to the Government's proposed expert group to look into last year's ruling by the European Court of Human Rights calling on Ireland to clarify its law on abortion, Dr Kiely reiterated that the ruling “does not oblige Ireland to legislate for abortion.”

And she said that there was a range of new evidence which any expert group needed to look at before reaching a conclusion.

She referred specifically to the latest research, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, showing that women who have abortions are significantly more likely to experience mental health problems.
“Those who advocate legalising abortion often make their case in terms of 'women's health'.

Increasingly, however, the evidence shows that abortion can have severe negative consequences for women,” Dr Kiely said.

The survey also asked about the issue of protection for human embryos.

Respondents were asked: “In a recent Supreme Court decision, the judges said that human embryos were not protected by the Constitution but deserved respect and that their protection was a matter for the Government. Do you think the Government should legislate or not to protect human embryos from deliberate destruction either by experimentation or by methods of assisted human reproduction that destroy embryos?

59 per cent favoured the Government legislating to protect the human embryo, 16 per cent were opposed and 26 per cent did not know or had no opinion.

When this 26 per cent is excluded, 79 per cent favour legislation to protect the human embryo and 21 per cent are opposed.

Dr Kiely said that it was “now time for the Government to encourage ethical science and protect the human embryo”.

She said: “This week’s decision by the US-based Geron Corporation to cease pursuing embryonic stem cell research, having invested heavily in that field of research, is a watershed moment for stem cell science.

“It is increasingly clear that adult stem cell research, is both ethically and scientifically the more promising avenue of research. In terms of science and medicine, it is a win-win approach for stem cell science.

“The recent European Court of Justice ruling, prohibiting the patenting of human embryos, clearly recognises that human embryos have inherent rights.  It is time that the Government also recognised this and legislated accordingly.”

Dr Kiely concluded: “These are sensitive issues, but in making public policy in this area, the Government's approach must be evidence and dignity-based. The latest polls show that most people want policies which value the inherent worth of every human being. Irish people reject a vision of society which thinks of people in pure economic or utilitarian terms. The Government should craft its policies in a manner that respects the right to life and dignity of all human beings.”

Fieldwork for the poll was carried out in September 2011 via face to face interviews.

Caroline Simons, Legal Consultant , Geraldine Martin, Education Officer and Dr. Berry Kiely, Medical Adviser at the Pro Life Campaign Press Conference in Dublin today

Tuesday, November 15, 2011


New approaches to spreading the pro-life message at Pro Life Campaign National Conference

 

New evidence and new approaches to spreading the pro-life message should give heart to those committed to defending life, a packed audience was told at the recent Pro Life Campaign Annual Conference.

The Conference, held in the Alexander Hotel, heard PLC Chairman Dr Joe McCarroll encourage attendees to use social media and other new technologies to advance the pro-life cause.

The Conference, which was attended by pro-life advocates from across the country, represented a cross section of ages.  Those in attendance heard from a number of interesting speakers who outlined some of the current challenges.

Opening the conference, Senator Rónán Mullen spoke on the issue of Gendercide, the practice of killing unborn baby girls, which is widespread in countries such as China.

Referencing the recent Private Member’s motion he sponsored in the Seanad condemning the practice or gendercide and calling on the Government to take States practising or tolerating the practice to task, Senator Mullen expressed regret at the Government's refusal to back the motion, and urged them to reconsider their stance.

He also told attendees ‘Never give up making your views heard by your elected representatives.  Make contact with them, regularly but respectfully, that's how the woman and man in the street shape the formation of policy in a democracy."

The Conference also heard from Ryan Bomberger, who works to focus attention on the destruction abortion has caused among African Americans.

Mr Bomberger, together with his wife Bethany founded The Radiance Foundation, a non-profit organisation dedicated to highlighting difficult social issues, especially abortion and adoption, with powerful live multi-media presentations.

Showcasing a number of these presentations, Mr Bomberger impressed on the audience that new media and imaginative videos can have a powerful impact in persuading people of the case for the unborn.

He explained how His Too Many Aborted campaign, which focuses on the disproportionate incidence of abortion within the black community in the US, has been extremely successful in 2011 and has resulted in widespread media interest.



He also spoke about his personal history as the background for his involvement in the Too Many Aborted campaign.   He was conceived following his mother's rape.

He said "It was her courageous choice that gave me the gift of life. And so in my work I'm trying to let others see how she was right, that the choice she made that gave me life, was a good choice, that turned the injustice done to her into a force for liberation and justice for many others."

The conference also heard from PLC Legal Adviser Professor William Binchy about the significant political challenges faced by the pro-life movement.

Professor Binchy explained that the recent ECHR decision in the case of A,B, & C v Ireland clearly acknowledges the right of the Irish people to protect the right to life of the unborn and to decide how this is to be done.  Ireland is not obliged to legislate for abortion following the judgment.

He said “One of the challenges facing Ireland now is the mounting evidence of  negative effects for significant numbers of women as a result of abortion."

There was a good atmosphere, which provided pro-life advocates with lots of opportunities to network and to share tips as to how best to promote the pro-life message.  Delegates were sent home with renewed vigour and hope for the challenges ahead.