Conscience Clause Regulations Updated

The Department of Health and Human Services has issued new regulations amending 45 CFR Part 88 to continue to allow health care workers to refuse to perform abortions or sterilizations, but to "rescind[] those parts of the 2008 Final Rule that were unclear and potentially overbroad in scope. ...The Department partially rescinds the 2008 Final Rule based on concerns expressed that it had the potential to negatively impact patient access to contraception and certain other medical services without a basis in federal conscience protection statutes." The new regulations will appear in the February 23, 2011 Federal Register and will be effective 30 days after publication. More information is available from the Washington Post.