Board of Health,

There is every reason to assure womens health and reproductive rights can be exercised in safety by insisting that the same standards that apply to mens health during surgery apply to all patients, men an women. Accepting lower health standards in order to promote abortion is dangerous to women and their reproductive health, and there is no reason to tolerate it. Organizations that perform elective abortions must meet the same standards that all clinical practices meet. Any reduction of healthcare practice standards for a procedure that is unique to women is a gender bias that is completely unacceptable. These organizations must live up to the same high standards that other surgery services are required to meet, regardless of gender. Every organization that genuinely advocates for womens health should support these actions. Only organizations more interested in profiting from the vulnerabilities of indigent or poorly educated women would oppose it. It is reprehensible in the extreme to value profitable self-interest and political advocacy over the safety of the very population you want to protect. When applied systematically, allowing lower standards for women entangles the State and Federal Government in a criminal enterprise, or a syndicate, of organized hazardous activity. It is, in fact, akin to using noncombatant human shields to protect military targets. Donald Zacherl