PAMED Advocacy Priorities
Reproductive Rights
The Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) believes in the sanctity of the physician/patient relationship. PAMED acknowledges support of women’s reproductive health and the role of physicians in providing said care.
PAMED will support decision-making choice with respect to reproductive rights and education so that a woman fully understands both the physical and psychological effects of their decisions in their reproductive health.
PAMED opposes legislative measures which interfere with medical decision making or deny full reproductive choice, including abortion, based on a patient’s dependence on government funding.
Key Items:
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Decisions about reproduction and women’s health should be between the woman and her physicians.
- Legislation that interferes with a women’s reproductive rights may interfere with appropriate, effective, and frequently used treatments for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. Treatments for these conditions could be limited because of the potential risk of impacting an unknown pregnancy. This could put a woman’s health and life at risk.
- Reproductive health restrictions will disproportionally affect communities that are already marginalized. PAMED works to advance the health of all Pennsylvania patients, especially those who need it most.
- Physicians who are worried about prosecution for what is seen as basic treatment of their patients, could leave the state to practice elsewhere.
- Appropriate, effective, and frequently used treatments for conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and cancer could be limited because of the potential risk of impacting an unknown pregnancy.