Defunding Planned Parenthood to Be Debated at AMA House of Delegates, 11/14-17/2015 in Atlanta

St. Petersburg, November 9, 2015 (Newswire.com) - Long time AMA delegate calls for doctors to ignore internal AMA politics and stand for life.

Delegates at the American Medical Association will debate whether the AMA should stand against government funding of Planned Parenthood at their annual meeting in Atlanta from 11/14-17. Dr. David McKalip, an AMA delegate from Florida, has introduced a resolution stating “Resolved that the American Medical Association actively support legislation to immediately end federal and state funding of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.” The resolution is inspired by the many ethical violations of Planned Parenthood revealed over the last several years.  Planned Parenthood has recently had to concede that it was selling baby parts harvested during abortions, after undercover videos revealed the practice. Planned Parenthood has also been found to be willing to support child sex trafficking by offering abortions, contraception and STD treatments to childhood victims. Planned Parenthood has also agreed to direct donations specifically to aborting black babies.  The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bill to defund Planned Parenthood that President Obama has promised to veto.

"It is hypocritical that the Pro-abortion lobby at the AMA routinely intends to save hundreds of thousands of lives on their issues like climate change, tobacco, gun violence and sugary sodas, but doesn't want a public debate on how Planned Parenthood has killed millions of babies in the womb with support from U.S. taxpayers and the government"

David McKalip, MD, Neurological Surgeon, AMA delegate

Dr. McKalip, a private practice neurosurgeon in St. Petersburg Florida, has been a delegate to the AMA since 2005. He offered, “Planned Parenthood receives over $500 million in government funds annually and is abusing the trust of Americans by engaging in unethical behavior and then defending it”. The resolution reminds the AMA House of Delegates that Planned Parenthood is the “leading perpetrator of induced intrauterine death of babies (abortion) in America”. Dr. McKalip offered: “America’s doctors should not be using instruments designed to save lives and end suffering to instead end the lives of babies and cause their suffering.” Dr. McKalip recently published his rationale for offering this resolution at the AMA in “Crisis Magazine” a lay Catholic publication.  Dr. McKalip points out in the Crisis piece that some issues favored political issues routinely receive debate at the AMA while others do not. Dr, McKalip observes: "It is hypocritical that the Pro-abortion lobby at the AMA routinely intends to save hundreds of thousands of lives on their issues like climate change, tobacco, gun violence and sugary sodas, but doesn’t want a public debate on how Planned Parenthood has killed millions of babies in the womb with support from U.S. taxpayers and the government.”

Since the resolution was offered, the AMA leadership and pro-abortion activists have been pressuring Dr. McKalip to withdraw the resolution. “As usual, the AMA leadership is far more interested in politics and their own personal political gain than life itself.” Dr. McKalip indicated in the crisis piece that he has observed that actions at the AMA are often most focused on internal advancement, gaining committee positions and determining who will be AMA president 5-10 years down the road. In his Crisis piece he noted: “Whenever anything remotely related to abortion comes up, every effort is made to resolve it quietly in committee and avoid open debate”. Dr. McKalip offered the resolution solely as an individual delegate and has not asked any association to sponsor it. Dr. McKalip has been told by various medical leaders that it would harm the AMA and other state associations to have the debate in public since they would then have to take a position that would alienate some members no matter how the vote went. Dr. McKalip offered “When the AMA, specialty societies, and state medical associations are more interested in their own political survival than life itself, Americans should take notice and wonder what things establishment organized medicine will trade away for things that are far less important than the life of a baby.”

Dr. McKalip will present testimony to Reference Committee B (on legislation) in the Atlanta Marquis Marriot Hotel. The committee will meet on Sunday, November 15 at 8:30 in a.m. at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Marquis Ballroom B. The House of Delegates will then consider the issue and debate it on Monday 11/16 or Tuesday 11/17. Atlanta Marriott Marquis is located at 265 Peachtree Center Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30303. Dr. McKalip offered “I have been deeply moved at the outpouring of support and prayer from physicians and citizens in support of my efforts to have the AMA call for government defunding of Planned Parenthood. It is my hope and prayer that individual physicians at the AMA House of Delegates can find the personal courage to ignore the political pressure and stand up for life when it counts.”

Dr. McKalip can be reached for comment at 727-822-3500 or dmckalip@neuro3.net.

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Dr. David McKalip is a private practice brain and spine surgeon in St. Petersburg, Florida. He is a member of the Catholic Medical Association, past officer in the Florida Medical Association, past president of the Florida Neurosurgical Society and a Florida Delegate of the American Medical Association.