An obstetrician and gynecologist who performs abortions at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., filed a civil rights complaint Monday, claiming the hospital broke the law by forbidding her to speak publicly in defense of abortions and the procedure's role in healthcare, according to The New York Times.
The physician, Diane J. Horvath-Cosper, MD, is a public advocate of abortions who urges providers who perform them not to give in to threats. According to her complaint, which was filed with the Office for Civil Rights of HHS last December, officials of the MedStar Washington Hospital Center imposed a "gag order," according to her complaint. From the hospital's point of view, officials say they imposed a sensible precaution against anti-abortion violence.
Dr. Horvath-Cosper belongs to a movement of physicians and other medical staff members who argue that staying silent in the face of hostile anti-abortion rhetoric and protesters only feeds the stigma surrounding abortions, and contributes to its growing restriction.
"The dialogue is dominated by those who have demonized this totally normal part of healthcare," Dr. Horvath-Cosper said, according to The New York Times. "I don't think the way to deal with bullies is to cower and pull back."
However, some medical providers think it is safer for providers who perform abortions to keep a low profile, especially in more conservative and rural regions.
According to Dr. Horvath-Cosper's legal complain, MedStar Washington Hospital Center told her it was concerned about security following the fatal attack at a Planned Parenthood center in Colorado Springs in November by a self-described anti-abortion "warrior," who killed three people and wounded nine. The hospital's medical director ordered Dr. Horvath-Cosper to end her advocacy, saying he did "not want to put a Kmart blue-light special on the fact that we provide abortions at MedStar," according to The New York Times. Since then, the hospital has ordered Dr. Horvath-Cosper to decline several requests for interviews or risk losing her job, she said in the complaint.
If the civil rights office finds the MedStar Washington Hospital Center violated Dr. Horvath-Cosper's rights, it can order the hospital to take corrective action or risk losing its federal funding.
The hospital did not directly respond to the allegations, saying in an emailed statement Monday, "MedStarWashingtonHospitalCenter is committed to providing family planning services for our community, and we do so in a respectful, private and safe environment. We look forward to cooperating fully with the Office for Civil Rights."