Vanderbilt Rescinds Abortion Pledge Policy

ADF Senior Legal Counsel Casey Mattox
January 13, 2011

In response to the complaints filed yesterday by ADF with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services concerning Vanderbilt’s requirement that Women’s Health Track applicants in its Nurse Residency Program must sign an acknowledgement that they must assist in abortions, Vanderbilt has today amended its application packet to eliminate this requirement. Applicants are now asked to read a statement that such procedures are in the program, but it also explicitly informs applicants of the availability of a right to be excused from assisting with abortion procedures and does not require applicants to acknowledge in advance of admission any willingness to participate in abortions. An email by Vanderbilt to all applicants informed them of the change this afternoon.  the rest