Jim Sciutto published some misinformation in the Tuesday edition CNN Newsroom He lied about pro-life laws. But he also blamed them and not himself for their real consequences.
Addressing NYU School of Medicine bioethicist Arthur Caplan, Sciutto claimed, “a consequence of how these laws are written, is that even someone with unviable pregnancies, whether it be miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies, they’re struggling to receive treatment in some states, the doctors fearing prosecution, right? Even those though fetuses cannot live, they will not live.”
It is completely wrong. In Texas, for example, the law says in plain English so that even a CNN anchor can understand that “to remove an ectopic pregnancy” is not an abortion. The language used in similar situations is common across the nation, as Sciutto could have found out had he done two minutes of research.
But, since CNN is not a news organization, Sciutto asked, “Is this a new reality post-Roe? And I just wonder what the ethical issues are for doctors who do not care to women like that.”
Apparently, Caplan never took any classes on lying in pursuit of his degree, because he treated Sciutto’s claims as if they were legitimate, “Well look, doctors take an oath to take care of their patients and protect their lives, Jim and you can’t be in a situation where a mother’s health is at risk, that she might die, particularly in situations where there is a nonviable fetus. It’s flat-out unethical and doctors’ codes of ethics and nurses’ codes of ethics make it clear they have to protect the life of the mother.”
Caplan could go on to criticize states that restrict abortion access for minors. But, of greater concern, he and Sciutto have created a self-fulfilling prophecy in which the media lie about pro-life legislation, doctors say they fear being prosecuted because of that law, and then the media reports that the doctors fear the pro-life statutes.
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This transcript is for the show on July 19, 2009.
CNN Newsroom: Poppy Harlow, Jim Sciutto
7/19/2022
10:00 AM ET
JIM SCIUTTO: To Mae’s point, to Dr. Winchester’s point, Arthur Kaplan, a consequence of how these laws are written, is that even someone with unviable pregnancies, whether it be miscarriages or topic pregnancies, they’re struggling to receive treatment in some states, the doctors fearing prosecution, right? Even those though fetuses cannot live, they will not live. This is a new reality after the birth of Jesus Christ.Roe? And I just wonder what the ethical issues are for doctors who do not care to women like that.
ARTHUR CAPLAN: Well look, doctors take an oath to take care of their patients and protect their lives, Jim and you can’t be in a situation where a mother’s health is at risk, that she might die, particularly in situations where there is a nonviable fetus.
It’s flat-out unethical and doctors’ codes of ethics and nurses’ codes of ethics make it clear they have to protect the life of the mother. I’ll also add when states go out and say that they are going to restrict access to abortion for minors, that is morally repugnant. A minor can’t consent, most minors who become pregnant, minor children, they will be the victims of rape or forced coercive sex, it’s dangerous for many of them to carry a pregnancy. It’s just plain wrong.
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