Monday, January 28, 2013

Fetal endangerment ruling could criminalize prescribing

American Medical News
Public health advocates say a decision by the Supreme Court of Alabama defining fetuses as “persons” for the purposes of prosecuting drug-abusing adults under state law could have dire consequences for patients dealing with addiction and doctors who order drugs for pregnant women. Judges ruled that the plain meaning of the word “child” in the state’s chemical endangerment law includes “unborn children.” The statute imposes strict penalties on people who expose children to drugs.