Hundreds Strong, Florida Physicians Against Amendment 4 Highlight Risks for Women in Deceptive Constitutional Amendment

Amendment 4 will usher in an era of dangerously substandard care in Florida, in which abortion clinics could be exempt from even the most basic health and safety regulations, putting women at risk.”

— Dr. Kathi Aultman, former abortionist and retired Ob/GYN

FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, August 19, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ — Florida physicians are uniting against a proposed constitutional amendment that is severely out of step with the way Florida doctors practice medicine. Today marks the official launch of Florida Physicians Against Amendment 4, a coalition of hundreds of health professionals who are deeply concerned that this amendment would undermine their ability to provide women with excellent care. The Miami Herald recently published an oped outlining the concerns shared by these physicians.

“The adoption of this amendment would cause women great harm and eliminate doctors from the doctor-patient relationship through loopholes that would legalize high-risk induced abortions,” said Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie, a board-certified radiologist and licensed physician who practices fetal ultrasound in the Miami area and a founding member of Florida Physicians Against Amendment 4. “The amendment removes parental consent laws and denies parents their ability to intervene when their minor daughter is being bullied into getting an unwanted abortion.”

“Florida’s existing law does not restrict women’s healthcare, but enhances it,” said Dr. Christina Francis, MD, C.E.O. of AAPLOG Action, a coalition of thousands of physicians from across the country, including Florida, which supports advocacy efforts aimed at amplifying the voices of women in healthcare policy discussions. “The existing law allows for physicians to intervene immediately if a woman faces a life-threatening pregnancy complication.”

“Amendment 4 will usher in an era of dangerously substandard care in Florida, in which abortion clinics could be exempt from even the most basic health and safety regulations governing other medical facilities, putting women at risk. Although proponents of Amendment 4 have run an effective fear campaign claiming that women are being denied lifesaving healthcare and physicians are afraid to treat pregnancy complications under Florida’s abortion law, that is not the case,” said Dr. Kathi Aultman, a retired board-certified Ob/GYN and former abortionist who performed 1st and 2nd-trimester abortions in Jacksonville and Gainesville. “Current Florida law provides exceptions for ‘Rape, Incest, Human Trafficking, Fatal fetal abnormality, Life of the mother, and to Avert serious, irreversible impairment of a major bodily function.’ OB/GYN physicians have a duty to care for both their patients during pregnancy. This extreme amendment endangers both.” 

Hundreds of Florida physicians have signed the Physician Declaration Opposing Amendment 4 which states: 

We, the undersigned physicians and allied healthcare professionals of Florida, strongly oppose Amendment 4, a proposal to alter our state Constitution. This amendment violates our commitment to excellent healthcare for women and children because it would:

Permit abortion through all nine months of pregnancy;

Permit non-physicians to determine when and if an abortion can be performed, even in late pregnancy; 

Eliminate parental consent for minors; and 

Remove common sense maternal health and safety regulations. 

Therefore, we are united in urging all Floridians to VOTE NO ON AMENDMENT 4. 

To join Florida Physicians Against Amendment 4 go to www.fpaa4.com and follow on X @fldocsagainst4. For more information regarding AAPLOG Action go to the AAPLOG Action website. Follow AAPLOG Action on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and YouTube.

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Florida Physicians Against Amendment 4 is a coalition of hundreds of physicians spanning the entire state who are dedicated to providing women with excellent care and are opposed to Amendment 4. 

AAPLOG Action is the 501(c)(4) advocacy arm of the American Association of Pro-life Obstetricians & Gynecologists, which works to inform the American public on life-affirming evidence-based care for women and their children in politics and policy.

Prudence Robertson
Pesch Digital
[email protected]