Statement attributable to:
George M. Abraham, MD, MPH, MACP, FIDSA
President, American College of Physicians
WASHINGTON, D.C. April 6, 2022 –The American College of Physicians (ACP) firmly believes that Senate Bill 612, which was passed in Oklahoma this week, violates patient autonomy, egregiously impacts the patient-physician relationship, and threatens physicians for providing care. The legislation, which is expected to be signed by the governor, will harm the ability of Oklahomans to access needed reproductive health care services and deny patients the right to make decisions about their own health. Moreover, the legislation criminalizes providing health care services to patients, subjecting physicians to felony charges and weighty fines. Physicians and other health care professionals should not be subject to the threat of criminal prosecution for performing medical services in accordance with professional guidelines and licensing. Instead of enacting laws that interfere with health care, we should be seeking ways to improve patient access to evidence-based care. ACP is committed to ensuring that our patients are able to access necessary services and that governmental interference does not prevent access to evidence-based care.
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About the American College of Physicians
The American College of Physicians is the largest medical specialty organization in the United States with members in more than 145 countries worldwide. ACP membership includes 161,000 internal medicine physicians (internists), related subspecialists, and medical students. Internal medicine physicians are specialists who apply scientific knowledge and clinical expertise to the diagnosis, treatment, and compassionate care of adults across the spectrum from health to complex illness. Follow ACP on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Contact: Jacquelyn Blaser, (202) 261-4572, jblaser@acponline.org