NPR: Ob/Gyn Group: New Ethics Standards Misinterpreted

A follow-up to an earlier NPR segment (see this post):

Obstetrican-gynecologists who don't want to perform or refer for abortions are not at risk of losing their board certification after all.

Last Friday, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt sent a letter to the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, with a copy to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Leavitt said he was concerned about an ethics committee statement from ACOG in November stating that doctors should either be prepared to perform "standard reproductive services" or else refer those patients to someone who will.

Leavitt's letter said he was even more concerned that the Ob/Gyn board had made adherence to that policy a requirement for certification....

But Norman Gant, executive director of the certifying board, says HHS got it all wrong.

Listen to/read the full story here.