ABORTION SPECIALIST DROPPED FROM PANEL AT AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SURGEONS CONGRESS FOR REASONS OF “SECURITY.” DOCTOR CALLS IT “CENSORSHIP.”
For further information call:
Warren M. Hern, M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D.
Director, Boulder Abortion Clinic, P.C.
1130 Alpine Avenue Boulder, Colorado
303 447-1361 | bachern@msn.com
Boston Convention Center
Dr. Warren Hern, a physician, epidemiologist, and internationally recognized specialist in outpatient abortion services, was dropped from today’s American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress scheduled meeting for unspecified reasons that appear to be related to the controversial nature of his subject and presentation concerning abortion services.
In May, 2023, Dr. Hern was invited to participate in a panel discussion entitled “What Every Surgeon Needs to Know: Management of Post-Roe Obstetric and Gynecologic Emergencies” at 4:15 PM on October 24, 2023 at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress to be held at the Boston Convention Center. Dr Hern has specialized in women’s health care since 1970 and in abortion services since 1973. He was invited to speak on this subject by Drs. Jocelyn Chapman and Carter Lebares, both Fellows of ACS and professors of surgery, who are trying to help their surgical colleagues understand the potential surgical and medical consequences of the 2022 Dobbs decision overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that made abortion legal throughout the United States.
The sudden decision to exclude Dr. Hern from this panel discussion was made by the executive leadership of the American College of Surgeons over the objections of Drs. Chapman and Lebares just before the beginning of the Congress. Although specific reasons for this exclusion were not given to Dr. Hern or the physicians who invited him, it appeared that the reason was the fear of anti-abortion violence, security risks that accompanied Dr. Hern’s presence and liability risks for the ACS. Dr. Hern offered to pay for all security costs of his appearance on the program.
“It reeks of censorship,” says Dr. Hern. “It appears the ACA is more interested in having a controversy-free gathering than taking on the difficult issues for women’s health care that are only intensifying in the post-Roe era.” Dr. Hern prepared a slide program for presentation at the meeting (content included here).
Dr. Hern and his medical colleagues have been the targets of widespread anti-abortion political violence that includes the assassinations of five physicians who performed abortions, Dr. George Tiller among them, and assassinations of numerous other abortion clinic workers. On December 30, 1994, John Salvi assassinated two abortion clinic workers in Brookline and Boston, Massachusetts, and injured three others.
The Executive Director and CEO of the American College of Surgeons is Patricia L. Turner, MD, MBA, FACS. executive.director@facs.org
Slides prepared by Dr. Hern for presentation on October 24 2023 at ACS meeting before appearance canceled by ACS executive staff – Dr. Hern abortion specialist dropped from ACSC panel
What Every Surgeon Needs to Know: Management of Post-Roe Obstetric and Gynecologic Emergencies
Warren M. Hern, M.D.,M.P.H., Ph.D.
Director, Boulder Abortion Clinic, P.C.
Associate Clinical Professor, Dept of OB/GYN
University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus Author, Abortion Practice (1984)
The slides prepared for the presentation on October 24 at the ACS Congress that was not permitted contained the following content:
I do not have any relevant financial relationship(s) with any commercial interest that pertains to the content of my presentation.
In the 21st century, safe abortion is an essential and basic component of women’s health care
Pregnancy is not a benign condition.
Women die from being pregnant.
The death rate due to pregnancy is the “maternal mortality ratio.”
Abortion is a surgical procedure with some application of medications to assure complete treatment and prevention of complications
The treatment of choice for the condition of pregnancy is abortion unless the woman wants to have a baby
Pre – Dobbs (2022)
Basic principles of medical practice as applied to abortion services
Communication with patient and her family and understanding of her needs
Adherence to best standards of medical and surgical practice
Continuity of care
Medical accountability
Pre –Dobbs (2022)
Basic principles of surgery
Accurate preoperative diagnosis and evaluation
A high level of operatorskill
Sound sterile technique
Atraumatic surgical technique
Thorough removal of devitalized tissue
Careful postoperative supervision and follow-up
(cited in Hern, Abortion Practice, 1984)
Pre –Dobbs (2022)
Application of principles of surgery
Good routine communications with physicians, patients and referral agencies
Good back-up for treatment of complications
Routine follow-up appointments without difficulty
Pre –Dobbs (2022)
Application of principles of surgery
Outcome variables known
Blood loss, procedure time
Confirmation of completion of procedure
Empty uterus,absence of retained tissue
Lab results(pre-op and post-opHgb)
Pre –Dobbs (2022)
Application of principles of surgery
Routine prompt treatment of other pregnancy complications
Premature rupture of membranes at any stage of pregnancy
Spontaneous fetal demise
Retained tissue following miscarriage
Post-Dobbs, Post-Roe
Abortion is now illegal or essentially illegal
in 50% of all Americanstates
Women may no longer get early, safe surgical abortion in most states
Post-Dobbs, Post-Roe
Women must travel hundreds or thousands of miles to have a safe abortion – $$$$
“Medication”abortion has replaced complete surgical abortion in 50% of all first trimester abortions
Post-Dobbs, Post-Roe
None of the basic principles of medical practice and surgery may be applied to the medical care of women in U.S. states where abortion is illegal.
Post-Dobbs, Post-Roe
obstetric, gynecologic and surgical emergencies, treatment prohibited
Failed, incomplete “medication” abortion resulting in hemorrhage, continued pregnancy treatment prohibited
Spontaneous premature rupture of membranes early in pregnancy (16 – 22 weeks) treatment prohibited
Post-Dobbs, Post-Roe
obstetric, gynecologic and surgical emergencies, treatment prohibited
Hemorrhage due to low-lying placenta or placenta previa treatment prohibited
Ectopic pregnancy treatment prohibited
Placental abruption treatment prohibited
Post-Dobbs, Post-Roe
obstetric, gynecologic and surgical emergencies, treatment prohibited
Termination of pregnancy with catastrophic fetal abnormalities or genetic disorder (including malignant maternal hypertension with Trisomy 13) treatment prohibited
Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome treatment
treatment prohibited
The basic tenets of the successful fifty-year movement that overturned the Roe v. Wade decision and is determined to make abortion illegal throughout the United States are in
complete, irreconcilable conflict
with the basic principles of medical practice, surgical practice, and science.
Under these conditions, reproductive health care for women is roadkill/ collateral damage
Women in half of American states already face these conditions and cannot receive modern health care in their own states
What can surgeons do?
Basic life support and appropriate treatment for hemorrhage, sepsis, amniotic fluid embolism, shock until appropriate medical care is legally available or until the patient dies
Advise the patient and/or patient’s family to take her to a state where it is legal to provide medical care for women as quickly as possible
What can surgeons do?
Advise your political representatives at all levels (local, state, federal) that any law restricting abortion is dangerous and potentially fatal for women
Move to a state where it is legal to provide medical care for women
What can surgeons do?
Learn to perform abortions from someone who is an expert in this field of medical practice
Perform abortions for women who need them
What can surgeons do?
If you are a woman, vote as if your life depends on it (it does)
If you are not a woman, vote as if the life of every woman you know and love depends on it (it does).
