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Pete Thomson
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American Medical Student Association
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Phone: 703-665-4786
AMSA Opposes Proposed “Gag Rule” Restricting Access to Abortion Services
Sterling, Va., June 5, 2018 – The American Medical Student Association (AMSA) strongly opposes the Trump administration’s proposed “gag rule,” which would restrict Title X-funded health centers from referring patients to abortion providers.
AMSA has consistently affirmed that all women, regardless of age, social status, or marital status, should have the right to obtain a legal, safe, and voluntary abortion¹. We oppose any restrictions on funding for family planning clinics that offer, provide counseling for, or refer patients to abortion services². The Trump administration’s proposal to cut Title X funding from health centers that offer abortion-related counseling could have devastating consequences for women and families. Clinics such as Planned Parenthood would lose funding, severely limiting access not only to abortion services but also to STI testing, mammogram screenings, contraceptives, medications, and other essential health care services. According to data, six in ten women who receive services at a publicly funded family planning center consider it their primary source of medical care³. If Planned Parenthood is defunded, other community health centers would not be able to fill this gap⁴.
The hardest-hit populations would be low-income individuals, as 64% of Title X recipients live below the federal poverty line⁵. Without access to comprehensive reproductive health care, many women would be stripped of the ability to make critical decisions about their health, finances, careers, and futures. Without access to safe abortion services, some may resort to dangerous, life-threatening methods. The inability to obtain STI testing or contraceptives would put more individuals at risk of infections and unintended pregnancies. AMSA strongly condemns any policy that exacerbates health disparities⁶, increases the risk of STI outbreaks⁷, and limits access to reproductive health care⁸.
This proposal is yet another in a series of attacks on reproductive rights and access to essential health care. While the rule has not yet been implemented, public comments are being accepted until July 31, 2018. AMSA will join other professional organizations in opposing this rule, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Nurse-Midwives, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.
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About the American Medical Student Association:
AMSA is the oldest and largest independent association of physicians-in-training in the United States. Founded in 1950, AMSA is a student-governed, non-profit organization committed to representing physicians-in-training, advocating for quality and affordable healthcare for all, and building the next generation of physician leaders. To join our community, visit amsa.org.
¹AMSA Preamble, Purposes, and Principles (PPP), Principles Regarding Reproductive Rights, Family Planning and Sex Education, pg. 49; 4(a), 2017
²AMSA PPP, Principles Regarding Reproductive Rights, Family Planning and Sex Education, pg. 49; 4(b), 2017
³Rachel Benson Gold et al., Next Steps for America’s Family Planning Program: Leveraging the Potential of Medicaid and Title X in an Evolving Health Care System, at 4 (2009)
⁴Hasstedt, K. “Federally Qualified Health Centers: Vital Sources of Care, No Substitute for the Family Planning Safety Net.“ Guttmacher Policy Review, Vol 20, 2017.
⁵Title X Family Planning Annual Report 2016 Summary, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
⁶AMSA PPP, Principles Regarding Health Disparities, pg. 146
⁷AMSA PPP, Principles Regarding Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) And HIV-Related Illnesses, pg. 105
⁸AMSA PPP, Principles Regarding Reproductive Rights, Family Planning and Sex Education, pg. 49; 3(c), 4(c). pg. 52; 7(b).
Contributors: Perry Tsai, MD/PhD, AMSA National President; Pranali Haribhakti, AMSA’s National Gender & Sexuality Women’s Advocacy Coordinator