German Bishops Say Providing Emergency Contraception ‘Justifiable’ in Some Cases

German bishops have climbed down from their previously rigid stand against providing rape victims with the ‘morning after pill’ at Roman Catholic hospitals in the country and said that providing the pill was ‘justifiable’ in such circumstances. Bishops in Germany are currently facing the backlash from liberal groups following an embarrassing incident where two Catholic hospitals turned away a rape victim, claiming that they cannot provide the pill.

However when pressed on clarifying their stand on the incident, the bishops released a statement agreeing that the pill should be provided to rape victims though they did reiterate that the pill will not be provided if there is a chance of destroying an embryo.

“That can include prescription of the `morning-after pill,' insofar as it has a preventive and not an abortive effect. Medical and pharmaceutical methods which result in the death of an embryo still may not be used. The bishops trust that practical treatment in Catholic-run facilities will take place on the basis of these moral and theological guidelines”, the statement read.



Source-Medindia