The church and emergency contraception
In reading through stories and background on proposed Senate Bill 60, which would require hospitals to inform victims of sexual assault of the availibility of emergency contraception (also known as Plan B or the "morning-after pill"), I was eventually led to an interesting ethics directive approved by the USCCB in 2001:
36. Compassionate and understanding care should be given to a person who is the victim of sexual assault. Health care providers should cooperate with law enforcement officials and offer the person psychological and spiritual support as well as accurate medical information. A female who has been raped should be able to defend herself against a potential conception from the sexual assault. If, after appropriate testing, there is no evidence that conception has occurred already, she may be treated with medications that would prevent ovulation, sperm capacitation, or fertilization. It is not permissible, however, to initiate or to recommend treatments that have as their purpose or direct effect the removal, destruction, or interference with the implantation of a fertilized ovum.19This directive implies that, if it can be proven that conception has not occured, then the pill would not act as an abortifacient and a Catholic hospital could administer it in that small window of time. Maybe I missed something, but I am surprised that I did not hear a huge cry about this directive. Was there one? I imagine that there are many hardcore, dedicated pro-lifers who are against the use of any and all forms of contraception and have a major problem with this. Anyone care to share thoughts about this directive?

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