DHMC's post birth abortion advocacy at odds with proposed hospital merger

An official of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center - one of New Hampshire's major abortion facilities - has testified, along with a representative of the ACLUnion, against 'Born Alive' legislation during a Tuesday hearing before the New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee.

"To add legislation that would potentially result in felony convictions for providers ... in my opinion, it could further exacerbate the health care crisis that we face in this state," said Ilana Cass, chairman of the OB/GYN program at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center.

He spoke in opposition to House-passed HB 233, which requires health care providers to take "all medically appropriate and reasonable actions to preserve the life and health" of a newborn.

Yesterday's testimony underscores the continuing controversy over the proposed acquisition of Catholic Medical Center in Manchester by Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health, a merger which has received the approval of Manchester Bishop Peter Libasci.

On March 25, the New Hampshire Executive Council confirmed the appointment, by Governor Chris Sununu, of John Formella as the Granite State's Attorney General. It will be up to Formella, on the recommendation of the Charitable Trusts Unit of the New Hampshire Department of Justice, to approve or disallow the proposed takeover of the state's Catholic hospital system by Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health.

The Friends of Saint Benedict Center characterized the testimony as "further compelling evidence of the irreconcilable differences in medical ethics and moral values separating Catholic Medical Center and Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health."

Friends of Saint Benedict Center Communications Director C. J. Doyle made the following comment: "Dartmouth-Hitchcock has a long history of not only performing abortions, but of training physicians in abortion procedures, and of advocating for abortion as a matter of law and public policy. Yesterday's testimony is but one more example of a corporate culture at Dartmouth-Hitchcock which is so hostile to the right to life that it even opposes medical treatment to preserve the life of an infant who survives an abortion.

"Supporters of the right to life must urge Attorney General Formella to disallow this toxic merger, which would subordinate Catholic health care in New Hampshire to a corporate entity which not only rejects Catholic moral principles, and refuses to respect the consciences of Catholic and pro-life employees, but has demonstrated a moral callousness that is shocking even by modern standards."