Lies we tell ourselves

There is an interesting article in the NY Times today about young Latina women and their covert use of abortion. There are two main public health issues with this:

1. The safety of these women, as they can be harmed it the process either by not being told what the end result of using such medications is and/or harm from misuse/illegal use of drug products. As someone who is responsible for final approvals of drug labeling information before it goes to the FDA, it is important that drug products are not used off label and all drug products available within our nation are approved for use in the US before people start using them.

2. In 2009, women are still unable and ashamed to admit to abortion. Feck the Catholic/Pope angle on this topic. I think it's much deeper. The Scarlet A hasn't stood for adultry since 1973. Don't get me wrong, I am not one for posting whether or not I have had an abortion online, let alone in person or even the chick pox for that matter. That is largely due to the fact that beyond cancer scares, I am not posting what is discussed behind closed doors between my physician and me. (Now if he's Jewish and we happen to make-out, that's different. Is that too much information?) However, I am not ashamed of anything that has happened in a physician's office.

Now as for going public about what happens between my doctor and me in his home, well, what happens in Newton/Wellsley stays there. La. La.