Press Release: Arkansas Ranked Third Most Pro-Life State in America

Abortion, Life, , ,

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, January 14, 2014

LITTLE ROCK, ARK. – On Tuesday Americans United for Life, a leading national pro-life group, released its annual “Life List.” The group moved Arkansas from the number-four spot in 2013 to the number-three spot for 2014.

Family Council President Jerry Cox released a statement, saying, “This is something Arkansans should be proud of. Our state is the third most pro-life state in the country. That’s worth celebrating.”

Cox said the Life List considers more than laws regarding abortion. “Obviously, when people hear the words ‘pro-life,’ many think, ‘anti-abortion.’ Americans United for Life looks at much more than just that. They consider how the sick, elderly, and terminally-ill are treated in your state; what policies you have safeguarding patients; bioethics; and so on. For them to look at every law from every state and decide Arkansas is one of the top three states in the country when it comes to protecting human life says a lot about how much Arkansans value people.”

Cox noted Americans United for Life rated Arkansas an “All-Star” when it comes to protecting the lives of women and children from abortion. “Last year Arkansas passed a law requiring abortion clinic volunteers and employees to report suspected child abuse. We also passed a law ensuring a pregnant woman won’t be charged with a crime if she uses force to protect her unborn baby from an attacker. Laws like that make Arkansas a leader when it comes to protecting women and children.”

Cox says he hopes Arkansas will eventually become the most pro-life state in America. “I hear a lot of people talk about strengthening the economy right now. I think that’s great, but a strong economy doesn’t do a whole lot of good if your citizens aren’t alive and well to enjoy and contribute to it. Protecting the lives of Arkansans should always be a top priority. I’m grateful the Arkansas Legislature made it a priority in 2013, and I hope they will continue to do so in the future.”

Family Council is a conservative education and research organization based in Little Rock, Arkansas.

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Click here to learn more about AUL’s Life List.

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NPR Poll: Americans Favor Age Restrictions on Morning-After Pill

Life, ,

In a new poll out by NPR, 65% of Americans surveyed said availability of the morning-after pill (also called “Plan B” or “emergency contraception) should depend on some sort of age-limit.

According to the poll, 20.8% of respondents believe a girl should be at least 15 to obtain the morning-after pill without a prescription; 34.9% said she should be at least 18; and 9.2% said a woman should be at least 21 before she can obtain it.

Only 18.3% said the morning-after pill should be available regardless of age, and 16.7% said that if the drug is going to be available without a minimum age, a prescription should be required in order to purchase it.

Additionally, 66.4% said if the morning-after pill is available to minors without a prescription, parents should have to give their permission before the drug is sold to their child.

What is commonsense to most Americans — age restrictions, prescriptions, and parental consent — is not commonsense to the federal government, however. The FDA has moved the morning-after pill out from behind the pharmacist’s counter; it now can be purchased by anyone at any age without the involvement of a parent, doctor, or other medical professional.

Students for Life has documented how this situation puts young girls in danger. Watch the video they produced earlier this year here.

Read the full NPR poll here.

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Study Finds Vegetative Patient “Not Just Aware, but Paying Attention”

Bioethics, Life, Medical Ethics, , , , ,

A recent study published in the journal Neuroimage: Clinical has found some patients in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) are aware of the world around them — and some are “not just aware, but paying attention.”

Scientists at the Medical Research Council Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit and the University of Cambridge published their research last month. In the study, researchers examined 21 PVS patients, asking the patients to listen and mentally respond to a series of words. Scientists used electroencephalography to measure electrical activity in the brain, and compared brain activity in the patients with brain activity in healthy volunteers who were asked the same questions.

Researchers at Cambridge write,

(more…)

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