News,

Abortion

• The Spanish government has announced that the morning-after pill will be available in pharmacies without a prescription. The pill will be sold for under 20 euro (£18) without any age restriction. The Spanish health minister said the pill should only be used in emergencies. [Telegraph, 27 September] http://is.gd/3K3cM Anthony Ozimic of SPUC commented: "According the manufacturers, the morning-after pill can cause early abortions. As we know from experience in Britain, the morning-after pill is used as a regular form of birth control and has backfired as a way to reduce the teenage conception rate."
• Two women have been convicted of performing abortions without a medical licence in California, America. The women were given suspended prison sentences and ordered to do community service. The convictions follow sentences handed down earlier this year on two other women who ran the abortion centres where the illegal abortions had been performed. [LifeNews.com, 25 September] http://is.gd/3K4tT
• Malta has reaffirmed its intention not to liberalise its abortion laws. In the United Nations Human Rights Council's review of the country's human rights record, its government was described as saying: "that the right to life is an inherent right of every human being - this includes the unborn child, from its conception. We will retain our existing national legislation on the question of abortion." The Catholic church was reported as supporting Malta's stand, describing the nation as courageous. Pat Buckley has this week been representing SPUC at the council's meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. [John Smeaton, 24 September] http://is.gd/3F7us
• The Catholic Medical Association in America has stated its opposition to President Obama's healthcare reform plan. In an open letter to Catholics, the association warned about "the Obama administration's evident refusal to respect human life". [LifeSiteNews.com, 22 September] http://is.gd/3AAq9 Pro-life groups have warned that Mr Obama's plan would include funding for abortion.
• One of Britain's main pro-abortion groups has claimed that the economic recession could lead to an explosion in sexual health problems and unplanned pregnancies. Julia Bentley, head of the Family Planning Association (FPA), also claimed that any health budget cuts to longer term contraception would mean more money having to be spent on abortion services. [BBC, 22 September] http://is.gd/3AEI7 Anthony Ozimic of SPUC commented: "This is a cynical ploy by self-serving death-dealers. Many long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) may cause early abortions. For decades the FPA has been facilitating the very behaviour which leads to poor sexual health and more abortions."
• Almost half of all Americans believe government healthcare shouldn't pay for abortion, according to a pollster. A national telephone survey found that 48% of those surveyed wanted any government-subsidized health plan to be banned from covering abortions, with 13% in favour and 32% neutral. The survey mirrors other polls which show that around half of all Americans are generally opposed to abortion [Jill Stanek, 17 September] http://is.gd/3p3fs
  
• Women who have an abortion may run an increased risk of subsequently giving birth to premature or low-weight babies, according to a study. Researchers from Toronto, Canada, reviewed evidence from 37 studies from around the world between 1965 and 2001. The study's author, and the UK's Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists insisted that the study should not be used to argue against abortion. [Guardian, 16 September] http://is.gd/3kwJI Anthony Ozimic of SPUC commented: "The more evidence which emerges about the harm abortion causes, the more the supporters of abortion insist that abortion not be restricted. We will be exposing the contradictions in their responses to the study's findings."

Population

• A senior adviser to Britain's ruling Labour party has said that China's one-child policy has had a "positive impact" on the Chinese economy. Lord Adair Turner, writing for a philosophy journal, said that the policy had allowed China to develop without "severe political and social tensions". Robert Whelan of Civitas, the think-tank, said he regretted Lord Turner's comments, and questioned "his analysis that the one-child policy is responsible for China's economic" progress. [Daily Mail, 22 September] http://is.gd/3yioa
  
• Marie Stopes International, the abortion provider, has said that population control is crucial to combatting climate change. Leo Bryant, writing in The Lancet medical journal, claimed that 200 million worldwide want but cannot obtain contraceptives. Mr Bryant admitted that population growth in poorer nations was unlikely to increase global warming significantly [Reuters, 18 September] http://is.gd/3oZWz

Euthanasia and assisted suicide; disability

• A retired doctor is due to be questioned by police following the suicide of a woman with multiple sclerosis. Dr Libby Wilson, an 83-year-old pro-euthanasia campaigner, allegedly advised Cari Loder, 48, how to gas herself. The investigation follows new rules on prosecuting assisted suicide issued by Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions. [Times, 27 September] http://is.gd/3K2Zb
• SPUC Pro-Life, which was officially represented in the Debbie Purdy case, has made a detailed response to guidelines on prosecuting assisted suicide in England and Wales. The group points out that the document, by Mr Keir Starmer, director of public prosecutions, says prosecutions will be less likely in cases where the deceased had been disabled or terminally ill. This would legally downgrade the right to life of disabled or terminally-ill people and confirms disabled people's fears that the law deems their lives as inferior. The guidelines contradict the fairness and objectivity requirements of the existing general code for prosecutors and will be a useful guide to anyone who wants to promote the suicide of their troublesome relatives with impunity. They also go against the government's national suicide prevention strategy. SPUC Pro-Life will be encouraging disability groups, and all those affected by suicides and suicide attempts, to lobby Mr Starmer to enforce the law against assisted suicide justly and fairly. [SPUC, 23 September] http://is.gd/3CKBe Mr Starmer has admitted that his proposed rules could cause an increase in assisted suicides, including in Britain. Exit International of Australia said people from that country wanting to kill themselves might choose Britain in preference to Switzerland. Dr Peter Saunders of Care Not Killing warned that the rules could give the green light to relatives and friends who might benefit from a patient's death. The Multiple Sclerosis Society also expressed concern. [Telegraph, 24 September] http://is.gd/3CF9G
• Britain's chief prosecutor has published draft guidelines on assisted suicide. Keir Starmer, the director of public prosecutions (DPP), explained his move in an article for The Telegraph newspaper this morning. [Telegraph, 23 September] http://is.gd/3AvRD Paul Tully, general secretary of SPUC Pro-Life, told the media last night: "The public interest will be damaged by an assisted suicide policy which promotes the idea that some lives don't need to be protected." [SPUC, 22 September] http://is.gd/3Bc5H SPUC Pro-Life will be commenting further following close analysis of the guidelines.
  
• Both the prime minister and opposition leader in Britain have commented on moves to allow assisted suicide. A spokesman for Gordon Brown, the prime minister, restated Mr Brown's opposition to assisted suicide but would not be drawn on draft guidelines, due to be issued tomorrow, on prosecuting cases of assisting suicide. David Cameron, the opposition leader, called moves to tolerate assisted suicide "dangerous for society". John Smeaton, SPUC director, commented: "We must hold these politicians to account." [SPUC director's blog, 22 September] http://is.gd/3zcut
• SPUC is calling for resistance to proposals unveiled by the Law Commission of Ireland which would allow euthanasia by denial of food, fluids and reasonable medical treatment. The Commission's proposals mirror almost exactly the British government's Mental Capacity Act 2005 enshrined and expanded euthanasia by neglect in English law. John Smeaton, SPUC director, commented: "Surely the good people of Ireland, many thousands of whom every year work to resist the repeated attempts to undermine its pro-life constitution, will not stand idly by at this attempt to import silent euthanasia?" Mr Smeaton asked pro-lifers to write to newspapers and other media outlets in the Irish Republic and urge the Irish government and Dail (parliament) to reject the Commission's proposals. [John Smeaton, SPUC director, 16 September] http://is.gd/3mXYi
• The Grand Duke of Luxembourg has been awarded a prize by the Catholic Church for his resistance to the legalisation of euthanasia in his country. Henry I received the Van Thuan Prize, to those who have distinguished themselves in the promotion and defence of human rights. Luxembourg's parliament stripped the duke of some of his powers as head of state after it voted to legalise euthanasia. [Catholic News Agency, 16 September] http://is.gd/3mYmG
• The Law Reform Commission of Ireland is recommending legislation to enshrine advance directives, or so-called living wills, in statute law. [Irish News, 16 September] http://is.gd/3kwnM The Commission's proposals [press release, 15 September] http://is.gd/3lftm mirror almost exactly the British government's Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Blair government's claims about that Act. The Act enshrined and expanded euthanasia by neglect in English law. [SPUC] http://is.gd/3lfyh

Marriage and family; sexual ethics

• Anna Zaborska, a member of the European parliament representing Slovakia, has protested against moves within European institutions to suppress pro-life and pro-family national laws. Speaking in the parliament last night, Mrs Zaborska said: "I profoundly regret that the European Parliament ... question[s] the protection of children and the right of parents to educate them." [John Smeaton, SPUC director, 16 September] http://is.gd/3mXHh Mrs Zaborska was speaking ahead of a vote on a resolution against a proposed law in Lithuania which aims to protect minors from sexualisation by society. [Pat Buckley - European Life Network, 16 September] http://is.gd/3nNIh The resolution was approved by 349 votes to 218 with 46 abstentions.

General and miscellaneous

• SPUC has said that, when Pope Benedict visits the UK next year, he will find "the valley of the culture of death". John Smeaton, national director, said: "In Britain, the government organises secret abortions on schoolgirls behind parents' backs. The chief prosecutor has today issued rules tolerating assisted suicide, under which the disabled will be treated as second-class citizens. The leaders of the major political parties all voted for sinister destructive experiments on embryonic children. I hope that Pope Benedict will issue stern reminders to church leaders and Catholic parliamentarians of their absolute duty to place the right to life from conception to natural death at the top of Britain's moral and political agenda." [SPUC, 24 September] http://is.gd/3CLja
• L'Osservatore Romano, the semi-official Vatican newspaper, has published a favourable interview with Tony Blair, the former British prime minister. The interview, in which Mr Blair is portrayed in glowing terms, has been condemned by John Smeaton, SPUC director [http://is.gd/3lgMJ], Fr Timothy Finigan of the Association of Priests for the Gospel of Life [http://is.gd/3lh5K] and by LifeSiteNews.com [http://is.gd/3lhiO], the international pro-life/pro-family news-agency. Mr Smeaton commented: "Are there subversive elements at work within the Vatican who are intent on appeasing Barack Obama and Tony Blair and their anti-life policies? Imagine if Obama and Blair were committed racists rather than being committed to their anti-life and anti-family policies. Would L'Osservatore Romano afford them such a generous platform? I hope not. But surely this same standard should apply to attacks on the sanctity of human life." [15 September]

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