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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Anna Scholl
(434) 218-2113
anna@progressva.org
PROGRESSVA APPLAUDS BOARD OF HEALTH'S AMENDMENT TO PROPOSED TRAP RULES
While adopted amendments apply common sense to building requirements, Board failed to act on patient privacy and safety concerns
ProgressVA today applauded the Virginia Board of Health for responding to the concerns of over 2,000 constituents by amending proposed building regulations for first trimester abortion providers that could have shut down women's health clinics. However, the Board failed to address equally troubling regulations that threaten patient privacy and safety while potentially leading to increased provider intimidation.
"We commend the seven members of the Board of Health who responded to the concerns of thousands of Virginians and refused to single out existing women's health clinics for burdensome and medically unnecessary building requirements," said ProgressVA Executive Director Anna Scholl. "However, the Board failed to address dangerous provisions that threaten patient privacy and safety. Allowing government bureaucrats to compile lists of women seeking an abortion and access to their medical records is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to shame and intimidate women out of seeking safe and legal medical care."
Among other requirements, the proposed permanent regulations would:
- Threaten patient privacy and safety by allowing inspectors to requests lists of patients and remove patient medical records from clinics.
- Intimidate clinic owners and providers of first-trimester abortion care by allowing inspectors access to clinic's proprietary information, including security plans, without any requirement for the information to be kept confidential.
Far from 'protecting' women, these ideologically-driven regulations are a serious threat to patient privacy and safety. Virginia's women's health clinics provide life-saving cancer screenings, family planning services, and health care services like STD screenings. Ideological zealots are more concerned with ending access to safe and legal first trimester abortion than ensuring Virginia women have access to and options for reproductive health care."
Tens of thousands contacted the Board of Health and Governor McDonnell last year during the emergency regulation process to voice opposition to very similar proposals. The proposed permanent regulations, like last year's temporary ones, ignore the advice of medical experts and advisors. According to news reports, measures proposed by a medical advisory panel were significantly altered and revised by partisan political appointees and the office of Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
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ProgressVA is a multi-issue, progressive advocacy organization dedicated to engaging citizens from across the Commonwealth around issues of immediate state or local concern. www.ProgressVA.org
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PROGRESSVA APPLAUDS BOARD OF HEALTH'S AMENDMENT TO PROPOSED TRAP RULES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Anna Scholl
(434) 218-2113
anna@progressva.org
PROGRESSVA APPLAUDS BOARD OF HEALTH'S AMENDMENT TO PROPOSED TRAP RULES
While adopted amendments apply common sense to building requirements, Board failed to act on patient privacy and safety concerns
ProgressVA today applauded the Virginia Board of Health for responding to the concerns of over 2,000 constituents by amending proposed building regulations for first trimester abortion providers that could have shut down women's health clinics. However, the Board failed to address equally troubling regulations that threaten patient privacy and safety while potentially leading to increased provider intimidation.
"We commend the seven members of the Board of Health who responded to the concerns of thousands of Virginians and refused to single out existing women's health clinics for burdensome and medically unnecessary building requirements," said ProgressVA Executive Director Anna Scholl. "However, the Board failed to address dangerous provisions that threaten patient privacy and safety. Allowing government bureaucrats to compile lists of women seeking an abortion and access to their medical records is nothing more than a thinly veiled attempt to shame and intimidate women out of seeking safe and legal medical care."
Among other requirements, the proposed permanent regulations would:
Far from 'protecting' women, these ideologically-driven regulations are a serious threat to patient privacy and safety. Virginia's women's health clinics provide life-saving cancer screenings, family planning services, and health care services like STD screenings. Ideological zealots are more concerned with ending access to safe and legal first trimester abortion than ensuring Virginia women have access to and options for reproductive health care."
Tens of thousands contacted the Board of Health and Governor McDonnell last year during the emergency regulation process to voice opposition to very similar proposals. The proposed permanent regulations, like last year's temporary ones, ignore the advice of medical experts and advisors. According to news reports, measures proposed by a medical advisory panel were significantly altered and revised by partisan political appointees and the office of Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
###
ProgressVA is a multi-issue, progressive advocacy organization dedicated to engaging citizens from across the Commonwealth around issues of immediate state or local concern. www.ProgressVA.org