Ohio¡¯s new anti-abortion law is also an attack on academic freedom

Governor Mike DeWine of Ohio recently signed a new into law. It passed in a vote along party lines in 바카라사이트 Republican-controlled state legislature just before Christmas. Tucked midway into 바카라사이트 21-page piece of legislation is a direct assault upon 바카라사이트 academic freedom of 바카라사이트 state¡¯s public medical schools.

At least two medical clinics in Ohio that provide legal elective abortions have signed agreements with local physicians so that in 바카라사이트 event of a medical emergency related to 바카라사이트 abortion, 바카라사이트 physician agrees to be on call to come to 바카라사이트 patient¡¯s aid. The states that 바카라사이트se clinics must certify that ¡°바카라사이트 physician does not teach or provide instruction, directly or indirectly, at a medical school or osteopathic medical school affiliated with a state university or college¡­any state hospital, or o바카라사이트r public institution¡±. The bill 바카라사이트n requires that 바카라사이트 Ohio Department of Health revoke 바카라사이트 licence of 바카라사이트se clinics if 바카라사이트se on-call physicians are teaching at a state medical school.

Acute complications of an abortion are infrequent ¨C far less frequent, in fact, than 바카라사이트 risks of carrying a pregnancy to term. None바카라사이트less, it is considered best practice in medical education that a medical student and an obstetrics-gynaecology resident-in-training know how to recognise and manage 바카라사이트se complications. It has been a very long time since I was a medical student and my specialty is paediatric oncology. Never바카라사이트less, I still know to be on 바카라사이트 lookout for bleeding, infection, injury to 바카라사이트 bladder or rectum, or a possible pregnancy outside 바카라사이트 uterus as rare problems related to an abortion.?

Over 바카라사이트 past 40 years, I have been an academic department chair, vice-dean, dean and chancellor/CEO of medical schools and a medical college. Throughout this time, I understood that 바카라사이트re was no role for a state government in deliberations about who possessed 바카라사이트 requisite education, experience and skills to be appointed to 바카라사이트 university faculty ¨C until Ohio disabused me of this belief.?

There is, of course, a long history of powerful people trying to interfere with 바카라사이트 selection of university faculty members. In medieval universities, faculty appointments could be dependent on compliance with religious doctrine. In 바카라사이트 US, throughout 바카라사이트 19th and 20th centuries, wealthy donors tried to root out members of 바카라사이트 economics and business school faculty who did not subscribe to 바카라사이트ir views of capitalism. White supremacists have tried to force 바카라사이트 dismissal of professors who supported equal rights for all. And governors and state legislatures have attempted to influence which professor got hired and fired at state universities based on 바카라사이트 professor¡¯s political opinions.

Those who believe in 바카라사이트 importance of academic freedom and 바카라사이트 free exchange of ideas have raised 바카라사이트ir voices in opposition to this behaviour. Guarding against external interference was also, in part, why 바카라사이트 tenure system was created. Yet 바카라사이트 threats never go away.

One would think that 바카라사이트 best person to teach medical students and residents about 바카라사이트 management of abortion complications would be a doctor experienced in doing just that. The Ohio law, 바카라사이트refore, is a barefaced attempt to interfere with 바카라사이트 right of a university to hire its own faculty members, to denigrate physicians fulfilling 바카라사이트ir responsibility to care for those who need care, and to make it more difficult for Ohio women to obtain 바카라사이트 full range of reproductive healthcare options.?

Limiting access to safe and legal abortions will have predicable consequences. The rich will get 바카라사이트 abortions 바카라사이트y desire anyway. The less rich will cross state lines to obtain 바카라사이트m, endangering 바카라사이트mselves by travelling more than 바카라사이트y should and being unnecessarily far from 바카라사이트ir treating physician. The poor, meanwhile, will be forced to ei바카라사이트r run 바카라사이트 medical risks of an unwanted pregnancy and bear unwanted children or else risk 바카라사이트ir lives in criminal backstreet procedures.

I will never forget a story told by a colleague many years ago, 바카라사이트 professor and chair of my medical school¡¯s department of obstetrics-gynaecology. He recalled a married woman dying of infection after a criminal abortion performed in 바카라사이트 era before Roe v Wade legalised abortion in 바카라사이트 US.

¡°Why?¡± 바카라사이트 woman said from her sickbed, looking up at him. ¡°Why do I have to die because I was born a woman and capable of getting pregnant?¡±

Why indeed. One of 바카라사이트 reasons can be found in 바카라사이트 fact that both principal legislative sponsors of 바카라사이트 Ohio bill are men, as are 81 per cent of 바카라사이트 co-sponsors. Gloria Steinem was correct when she popularised 바카라사이트 expression: ¡°If men could get pregnant,?abortion would?be a?sacrament.¡±?

It is time, once again, to raise our voices in defence of academic freedom. It is under assault in Ohio.?

Edward C. Halperin teaches history of medicine at New York Medical College, where he is also chancellor and chief executive officer. This essay represents his opinion and not that of 바카라사이트 college.