Member Update: Exciting growth for AAPLOG and new directions ahead

Dear webmaster220, In this member update we discuss recent wins in the pro-life movement. But first: A note from the Executive Director As we await the results of a pivotally important election, I wanted you to know that regardless of the outcome, AAPLOG is moving ahead full speed with new growth. AAPLOG is redoubling efforts to defend your right to practice Hippocratic medicine and speak out for the most vulnerable of our patients -- those who are pre-born.   We have had a wonderful opportunity in 2020 to step back and take stock of where we are now, and where we should be going in the future. The AAPLOG board, assisted by some world class strategic planners, has taken the past five months to develop our 3-year strategic plan and budget aiming to serve you and the pro-life community. The results are quite exciting. We hope you have already noticed the new logo and our updated public website, plus AAPLOG's increasing strategically effective presence and engagement on social media. And there is more to come!   We will be rolling out these plans to you in upcoming member updates as we seek your involvement and support for 2021-2023. We hope that you will catch the vision and partner even more closely with us in the upcoming months to defend the lives of both our pregnant patients and their preborn children. Please consider upcoming opportunities for both board and committee involvement. If you might be willing to serve, please email Christina@aaplog.org and let her know of your interest in serving on a board committee or on the AAPLOG board. Many of us feel isolated in practice, especially in academic centers that are fiercely pro-abortion. But OB/GYNs who do not perform abortions make up 85% of our colleagues. We hope to begin to reach that silent 85%. We will be providing networking on a local level to offer you a classy opportunity to reach out to your colleagues who should be a part of AAPLOG, but have not yet had the chance to engage with us. We have some exciting opportunities planned for 2021. We are looking forward to reaching these individuals together with you to transform the face of medicine, one colleague at a time.  The stalled election Without doubt, the results of this election will affect the protections of the unborn, both nationally and globally. Both candidates have clearly expressed their positions on elective abortion. One of the central flashpoints is elective abortion after 22 weeks gestation, i.e. after a fetus is able to survive outside of the womb. The common understanding of elective abortion at this stage of pregnancy is "late term" abortion, which abortion supporters claim is not a "medical term." "Women's lives and the lives of pre-born children -- they really deserve more than these word games that people are trying to play," said Dr. Christina Francis, a board-certified OB/GYN and AAPLOG chair of the board in a recent interview. "As medical professionals, we use the term 'heart attack' all the time, yet that's not a medical term, it's a term that we use so lay people can understand when we're talking about myocardial infarctions. The phrase 'late-term abortion' is very similar. In and of itself it is not a medical term; however, it describes what is happening," Francis explained. As medical professionals, we need to continue to speak out against the misleading and false medical narratives which are currently being promoted. AAPLOG intends to take the lead in this area with medically and scientifically accurate information. We have a terrific opportunity now to produce more practice bulletins and committee opinions on a wide variety of issues which are being misconstrued in the media. We could use your help! If you are willing to serve on a Practice Bulletin or Committee Opinion committee, please email donna@aaplog.org. If you have ideas about topics, please also email donna@aaplog.org.  Together we are AAPLOG, and we will stand together for truth.  Protecting life globally  The United States is the world's largest bilateral donor to global health programs. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is committed to the well-being of all women and children and to ensuring that all of our partners are in compliance with abortion-related legal restrictions and the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance (PLGHA) Policy. Acting Administrator Barsa issued a statement with a letter from Assistant Administrator for Global Health, Alma Golden, to USAID prime implementing partners regarding compliance with all statutory and policy abortion restrictions, including the Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance policy, with an emphasis on the compliance of sub-grantees and sub-contractors on grants.  The Acting Administrator also released a letter to the UN Secretary General to emphasize again that U.S. taxpayer funds must not be used in a manner contrary to the Administration's policy to protect the sanctity of life. Questionable research In October, the International Commission on the Clinical Use of Human Germline Genome Editing released a report on the "potential benefits, harms, and uncertainties" of heritable genome editing on human embryos. In 2018, Chinese researcher, He Jianqui, announced that he had created the world's first genetically modified babies using CRISPR technology and was subsequently sentenced to three years in prison. The commission was formed in response. Tara Sander Lee, PhD, Charlotte Lozier Institute's senior fellow and director of life sciences, commented on the report: "Two years after He Jianqui's experiments sparked outcry around the world, it's discouraging that the panel's recommendations concern only what can be done under the limits of current technology, and not whether heritable genome editing on human embryos –  which not only affects that individual but can then be passed down for generations – should be done at all. The report is clearly meant to pave the way for application to human beings in the clinic. There was no discussion of ethics, no consideration of a moratorium, and absolutely no suggestion of prohibiting this research considering the massive number of human embryos that will have to be used and destroyed to optimize the technology, which these researchers clearly see as 'exciting' and want to see move forward with massive international collaboration. While this is hardly unexpected, it is highly unethical and irresponsible and not the way genuine progress in treating patients is made." Regardless of the election outcome, we all have immense opportunity to transform medicine in our local communities. AAPLOG intends to equip you to be able to make that evidence-based defense of both your pregnant patients and their pre-born children. We will stand with you. Thanks for standing with us. For Life, Donna Donna J. Harrison, M.D. Executive Director American Association of Pro-life Obstetricians and Gynecologists www.aaplog.org Life. It's why we're here. Patient Education Brochures Did you know? AAPLOG has created a set of brochures to help members educate patients about the effects of abortion on their physical and mental health. We have worked with Kinetic Media LLC, a design and print company, to offer these brochures to AAPLOG members at a large discount. There are four main Patient Education brochures along with an AAPLOG Information brochure. Each brochure is available in English & Spanish. To learn more, click the button below. LEARN MORE OFFICE: 202 230-0997,  ADDRESS: P.O. Box 395  Eau Claire, MI 49111-0395 Website • Facebook • Twitter   *View this email in your browser Want to change how you receive these emails? You can *update your preferences or *unsubscribe from this list.  Subscription Information This email was sent to Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog  *the blog owner has deleted the hyperlink intentionally