Act Now to Protect Title X, America’s Family Planning Program
For more than 35 years, the Title X program has been a hallmark of quality preventative care, enabling practitioners to provide family planning services to over 5 million low-income individuals annually. However, this program and its mission are now at serious risk. The Bush Administration has just appointed an anti-choice ob-gyn, Dr. Eric Keroack, to the position of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs, a position which oversees the Title X program.
This appointment raises serious concerns, because Dr. Keroack is currently the Medical Director for A Woman’s Concern (AWC), five crisis pregnancy health centers located in the Greater Boston Area. Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) are designed to dissuade pregnant women from seeking abortions, and in many instances, they misinform and intimidate women to achieve their goal. Dr. Keroack’s support of biased counseling is in direct conflict with Title X’s long-standing requirement that women facing an unintended pregnancy be provided with medically accurate information. In addition, AWC health centers will not distribute, encourage the use of, or offer referrals for contraceptive drugs and devices.
Dr. Keroack should not be entrusted with the oversight of the Title X program and the health of millions of American women. Act now and urge Secretary of Health and Human Services, Michael Leavitt, to reconsider the appointment of Dr. Keroack as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Population Affairs.