SGO Commits to Policy Action and Advocacy in Defense of Reproductive Rights

The Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) denounces the draft U.S. Supreme Court opinion released by the media on Monday, May 2, that would potentially overrule the landmark Roe v. Wade decision, which has been the legal precedent in this country since 1973. Consistent with SGO’s mission and Principles for Health Care Reform, SGO opposes any ruling that restricts a person’s access to health care and criminalizes the practice of medicine. This ruling ultimately poses a serious threat to the physician-patient relationship, and subsequent decision making necessary to ensure optimal outcomes for patients. As practitioners, we should be free to provide what is in the best interest of our patients. Given that this ruling could result in near-total bans on abortion in over 25 states, the SGO opposes this decision and, along with like-minded organizations such as the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the Collaborative for Reproductive Equity (CORE) and others, commits to policy action and advocacy to ensure that every patient’s medical treatment is managed by professional health care practitioners instead of elected officials and politically-appointed judges.