On September 15th Lisa Madigan, Democratic
candidate for Attorney General, accused Joe Birkett, Republican candidate for that office,
of "exploiting breast cancer for political purposes." She based her
accusation on Birkett's positive response to a question in a candidate
questionnaire. The question was, "Would you support legislation to establish a
task force to study the link between abortion and breast cancer?" Why does
Madigan oppose a study of the link between abortion and breast cancer when 28 out of 37
studies worldwide show an increased risk of breast cancer associated with induced
abortion? Is Madigan really concerned about women's health?
Jane Orient, M.D.,
executive director of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, said that
the elevated risk is "substantial, particularly in women who abort their first
pregnancy at a young age and who have a family history of breast cancer."
Shouldn't women be given this information prior to procuring an abortion? Angela
Lanfranchi, MD, observed, "I have practiced for over 18 years in this area and, since
1999 when I first became convinced of the increased cancer risk following abortion, I have
counseled over 1300 patients. I have found that my patients normally respond with
interest and gratitude to being told about these risks." Madigan claims
that "Birkett is out of touch with the mainstream and with scientific
research." It is clear that Madigan's views are so radical that she is
willing to completely ignore potential risks to women's health in her effort to
"protect women's reproductive rights." What is she afraid that a study
might reveal?
Mary Anne Hackett
President
Illinois Right to Life Committee
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