A former Catholic Medical Association President in the United Kingdom is asking the High Court to revoke the order issued by the The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service that prevents him from saving the lives of babies.
The Christian Post reported that the United Kingdom Royal Courts of Justice will hear the case of Dr. Dermot Kearney on February 24. Kearney, who works for Britain's National Health Service, is represented by the Christian Legal Centre, the legal arm of Christian Concern, in the lawsuit.
Christian Concern raised that the move to prevent Kearney from providing his treatment is the first of its kind. During the hearing, Kearney's lawyers intend to point out that the "interim order against him should never have been made and should be discharged." They also intend to "argue that the general dispute about the safety and ethics of APR therapy is outside the GMC's remit and that the evidence against Dr Kearney fails to demonstrate a real risk of impairment of fitness to practice."
Christianity Daily reported last June that Kearney was prohibited in prescribing to women undergoing the abortion-pill process, which helps him save the lives of both mother and child. The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service has prevented him from prescribing progesterone to women who have regretted taking the abortion pills for a year and a half. The ban is in line with investigations being conducted by the Tribunal against him for his life-saving treatment following recommendations from the General Medical Society.
The investigation comes after MSI Reproductive Choices U.K., an abortion provider that previously goes by the name Marie Stopes International, complained to the General Medical Society against Kearney for administering abortion pill reversal. MSI claimed Kearney's prescriptions have "no evidence base" and comes as an imposition of his anti-abortion beliefs on patients.
MSI cited the testimony of one of Kearney's patients who used the prescribed progesterone but nonetheless suffered a miscarriage 24 hours after taking the abortion pill. However, the patient revealed afterwards that she was "pressured" by MSI Medical Director Dr. Jonathan Lord at the time they got her statements on Kearney. The patient also pointed out that MSI "twisted" the entire experience she had with Kearney to suit their complaint against him.
"I felt scared and pressured by him (MSI's medical director Dr. Jonathan Lord) at a time I was vulnerable and ill. I feel that Marie Stopes are to blame for what has happened to me and I do not wish to be used by them in some sort of complaint against Dr. Dermot," the unnamed patient said.
Former clients of Kearney have come in the open to provide him support in the case though their names were "changed for anonymity." One of them was a certain Rachel who testified giving birth to a healthy baby boy. Rachel said Kearney never pressured her into taking the prescription of progesterone. Kearney even provided her "weeks of guidance and support" to recover from the pregnancy.
"He was incredible. He was kind, he did not pressurize me, he set realistic expectations and also helped my partner who had questions. If it wasn't for Dr Kearney, our child would not be alive. We have not once regretted the decision to reverse the termination and we are grateful to Dr Kearney for being there for us," Rachel said.
Christian Legal Centre Chief Executive Andrea Williams revealed that abortion providers make women believe that they have no other option but to continue with the abortion process once they take the abortion pills. Williams stressed that Kearney provides women the option they need when such an event occurs.
"We have seen many women immediately regret taking the first abortion pill. Dr Kearney offers the possibility of saving the pregnancy when this happens. He should have the freedom to do it. Abortion providers are putting women on a conveyor belt which means once they start the abortion process, they have to go through with it and are pressured to do so or left with no alternatives," Williams said.
Williams also rebuked claims made by MSI that women were forced into taking Kearney's prescription and were unhappy about it since it does not work.
"Many women feel unbelievably grateful to Dr Kearney for helping them to save their babies. Even where the babies were not saved, or where they decided to decline the progesterone treatment, they feel that he has cared for them and helped them when they most needed it. He steps into the breach where the abortion providers are manifestly failing," Williams stressed.
