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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT: Ann
Collis |
State Rep. Daylin Leach |
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Leach to introduce legislation to protect patient’s medical rights
HARRISBURG, April 24 – In response to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling, state Rep. Daylin Leach, D-Montgomery, will introduce legislation designed to protect the right of all Pennsylvanians to have access to appropriate medical care free of government interference.
Specifically, Leach’s legislation would state that no patient would be prosecuted for receiving, and no doctor would be either prosecuted or professionally disciplined for providing, any medical treatment or procedure the doctor believes is necessary to protect the physical health of the patient. In order to be afforded the protection of this legislation, the doctor would have to be acting reasonably and in good faith.
“No medically untrained politician has the right to inject himself into medical decisions between a doctor and patient,” Leach said. “We must ensure that doctors are free to make reasonable medical decisions to protect the health of patients without fear of interference from the government.”
Leach said he was disturbed by the United States Supreme Court decision barring certain medically accepted abortion procedures because “for the first time it allowed politicians into the hospital room where they could overrule the doctor.”
Leach added, “It’s simply not appropriate for politicians, who know nothing about medicine, to be telling doctors they can’t act to preserve their patients’ health.”
Leach already has introduced other legislation protecting patient’s rights that would implement a statewide protocol for the standardized care of rape victims. That legislation would ensure that rape victims who visit emergency rooms are provided with comprehensive care, offered consultation with a rape crisis counselor and provided accurate, easy-to-understand educational materials.
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