Physicians speak out on women’s health clinic regs

21 August 2012

In June, the Virginia Board of Health voted to amend regulations signed into law last year that require women’s health centers to comply with building standards for new hospitals. The June vote would provide “grandfathered” status to existing facilities.

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, whose office is authorized to certify regulations, has asserted that the Board of Health does not have the authority to amend draft regulations and may require the Board of Health to redraft their regulations. Gov. McDonnell has final authority on this issue and may either approve the proposed regulations or send them back to the Board of Health with recommended amendments.

MSV wants to make its membership aware of a related initiative that recently began in Richmond. A group of physicians have organized in order to urge the Board of Health to adopt final regulations that are based on medical expertise rather than politics. This group has written a letter to physicians explaining their approach and has drafted a separate letter that they will send it to each member of the Board of Health with as many physician signatures as possible. They also plan to run the letter as a full page ad in the Richmond Times-Dispatch prior to the next Board of Health meeting which is on Sept. 14 at 9 a.m. at the Perimeter Center, Board Room 2, 9960 Mayland Drive, Henrico, Virginia.

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Va. board may reverse itself over abortion rules