Obama administration may repeal 'right of conscience' rule

I am a premed college senior at a well-known Michigan college. I helped to translate for Spanish-speaking populations while campaigning for Obama. I am ashamed now that my hard work helped to put him into office. To deny any American the right to practice their religious beliefs or to follow their conscience is a degradation of this country that I can not silently stand by and watch. Shame on him, I can't wait for him to be out of office.

As a medical ethicist I support Obama's move on this issue. Although a good case can be made for respecting individual practitioners' ethical views, the current laws and policies are badly designed. They seriously undermine patients' access to and control over healthcare. Also, if we were really concerned about conscience, we would design these regulations to protect those who, for reasons of conscience, insist upon PROVIDING care when regulations say otherwise (e.g., providing contraceptives or other services to minors).