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U.S. Abortion-Breast Cancer Lawsuit Settlement Backs Informed Consent Obligation

Women can no longer be kept in the dark about the breast cancer risk

PHILADELPHIA, October 22, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer announced today that the first U.S. abortion-breast cancer (ABC) lawsuit settled for an undisclosed amount on October 17, 2003.

The case was filed in Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas. The plaintiff was a 17-year-old Pennsylvania resident when a second-trimester abortion was performed in New Jersey without parental knowledge or consent. Although she hasn't developed breast cancer, she sued her abortion provider, Charles Benjamin, for neglecting to warn her about the physical and emotional risks of abortion.

Karen Malec, the coalition's president, declared, "This settlement will teach the medical establishment that it can no longer profit by keeping women in the dark about the breast cancer risk. This case also establishes that abortion providers can be sued for battery if the abortion provider performs no parental consent abortions on minors from neighboring states (with parental consent statutes), even if the state where the abortion is performed does not have a parental consent statute."

The ABC link has been called "the elephant in medicine's parlor." Medical experts privately say abortion causes breast cancer, but the volatility of the issue prevents them from publicly acknowledging it.

According to a National Cancer Institute (NCI) commissioned study, teens who procure abortions before age 18, more than double their risk. Girls and women have a predominance of immature, cancer-vulnerable Types 1 & 2 breast lobules, which aren't matured into cancer-resistant Types 3 & 4 lobules until a term pregnancy takes place.

Abortion can increase the statistical odds of developing breast cancer in two ways: 1) It delays a first term pregnancy; and 2) It increases the number of cancer-vulnerable breast cells because estrogen overexposure during a normal pregnancy stimulates cell multiplication. Women don't receive protection from estrogen overexposure until third trimester hormones mature their breast tissue into milk-producing Types 3 & 4 lobules.

Scientists have proven themselves incapable of refuting the biological explanation for the ABC link. Thirteen out of 16 U.S. studies report risk elevations. The NCI provided at least partial funding for 10 studies.

Minnesota and Texas state legislators passed informed consent legislation earlier this year. Massachusetts is considering similar legislation. Five medical organizations say abortion is one of the causes of breast cancer.

See the ABC Coalition website:
http://www.abortionbreastcancer.com

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