Comment on FR Doc # E8-19744

1) As far as I can tell from my friends in Med school and friends who are doctors, it is not common practice to learn how to perform an abortion or assist with an abortion unless you are training to be or work with an OB. Obstetricians are, occasionally, forced to perform abortions for the health of the mother. For example -- a friend of mine had an ectopic pregnancy with twins. How is she expected to carry that to term? 2) This law is far too broad. When you allow health care providers to deny service to people based on religious/moral grounds, you are opening a huge can of worms. This could allow a doctor to deny care to people of color because they are not God's children, but were created before white people and were rejected by God. It could allow denial of care to members of the gay & lesbian community because the health care provider believes that their lifestyle is abhorrent and punishable by death. A woman could be denied the right to make decisions on the treatment of a child if the provider believes that the decisions of a family should be made by the man. So much could be done to pervert healthcare were this rule to take effect. I fully understand a doctor not wanting to perform an abortion. I have performed funerals for premies born at 5 months, and they are, indeed, babies -- very small human beings. However, I do not think one should choose a career that conflicts with ones morals. If you don't believe in providing a service generally offered by your profession, you should switch professions or find a place to work that will accept your beliefs. I would not be a public prosecutor in a state where the death penalty is legal because I would be unable to push for the death penalty -- but there would be plenty of other options in my field. If you don't want to perform abortions, become an x-ray technician or cardiologist. it's not that hard to get my head around -- why is it so difficult for everyone else?