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Board of Trustees, American Medical Association

Scott L. Bernstein; Lonnie R. Bristow, MD (Executive Committee); John L. Clowe, MD (President-Elect); Mary Ann Contogiannis, MD (Resident Trustee); Greenville, NC; Richard F. Corlin, MD (Vice Speaker); Nancy W. Dickey, MD (Executive Committee); Palma E. Formica, MD; New Brunswick, NJ; William E. Jacott, MD; Daniel H. Johnson, Jr, MD (Speaker); Robert E. McAfee, MD (Vice Chair); Joseph T. Painter, MD (Chair); Thomas R. Reardon, MD; John J. Ring, MD (President); Raymond Scalettar, MD (Secretary-Treasurer); Jerald R. Schenken, MD; John P. Seward, MD; C. John Tupper, MD (Immediate Past President); Frank B. Walker, MD; Percy Wootton, MD; Dick K. Cason, MD; Frederick W. Cheney, MD; Clarence H. Denser, Jr, MD; Raymond C. Grandon, MD (Chair); Francis X. Lieb, MD; John A. Martin, MD; Eugene S. Ogrod II, MD; David Orentlicher, MD, JD (Secretary); Anita K. Schweickart; David Orentlicher, MD, JD.

JAMA. 1992;267(13):1818-1821.

Abstract
Following the approval of the long-acting contraceptive levonorgestrel (the Norplant Contraceptive System) for use by women, government officials have requi-ed or proposed uses of levonorgestrel that are problematic. One court ordered a woman convicted of child abuse to use levonorgestrel as a condition of her probation; legislators have proposed that women on welfare be paid to use levonorgestrel. Court-ordered use of long-acting contraceptives because of child abuse raises serious questions about a person's fundamental rights to refuse medical treatment, to be free of cruel and unusual punishment, and to procreate. The state's compelling interest in protecting children from abuse may be served by less intrusive means than imposing contraception on parents who have committed child abuse. If government benefits were based on the use of long-acting contraceptives, individuals would have to assume a potentially serious health risk before receiving their benefits. Government benefits should not be made contingent on the acceptance of a health risk.

(JAMA. 1992;267:1818-1821)

Author Affiliations
Chicago, Ill; San Pablo, Calif; Englewood, Fla; Santa Monica, Calif; Richmond, Tex; Minneapolis, Minn; Metairie, La; South Portland, Me; Houston, Tex; Portland, Ore; Mundelein, Ill; Washington, DC; Omaha, Neb; Rockford, Ill; Davis, Calif; Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich; Richmond, Va.; Hillsboro, Tex; Seattle, Wash; Des Moines, Iowa; Harrisburg, Pa; Richmond, Va; Roanoke, Va; Sacramento, Calif; Chicago, Ill; (Associate Secretary), Chicago, Ill.

From the Board of Trustees, American Medical sociation, Chicago, Ill.

Footnotes
This report is revised from Report EE, adopted by the House of Delegates of the American Medical Association at the December 1991 Interim Meeting.

Reprint requests to Office of the General Counsel, American Medical Association, 515 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610 (David Orentlicher, MD, JD).

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