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GP may be struck off for her 'think twice' plea to abortion patients
Last updated at 22:37pm on 11.11.07
Committed Christian Dr Downes urges abortion patients to 'think twice'
A family doctor faces being struck off for daring to suggest to women seeking an abortion that they should think twice.
Dr Tammie Downes says at least eight grateful mothers have children today which they would have terminated until she asked them to consider the consequences.
But Dr Downes, 36, is now being investigated by the General Medical Council for a possible breach of ethical guidelines.
If charged and found guilty of professional misconduct, she could be removed from the medical register and forced from her job.
The GMC, which regulates doctors, is understood to have received a complaint from another doctor who claims Dr Downes is promoting her anti-abortion views to patients.
Doctors must not allow personal opinions to affect their advice.
The complaint stems from an interview Dr Downes, a GP in the West Country, gave to the Daily Mail in May in which she described how she talked to women wanting an abortion about having the baby instead.
The investigation could become a pivotal test case in the battle between pro-life campaigners such as Dr Downes and advocates of pro-choice such as the Liberal Democrat MP Dr Evan Harris - known as 'Dr Death' for his strong views on abortion and euthanasia.
He has publicly criticised Dr Downes, saying: "By her own admission this doctor tries to persuade patients to go in one direction only and boasts of her "success" in a national newspaper."
But Dr Downes insisted yesterday: "I don't try to persuade anybody.
"I give them the facts and allow them space to think through the decision that they are making.
"It has to be the mother's choice. I have no right to make that choice for them. But I do think it is my duty as a doctor to help a woman make that choice."
Dr Downes, who has been a doctor for 12 years, seven of them as a GP, is a committed Christian.
She added: "People talk about being pro-choice as being pro-abortion, but I like to think I am pro an informed choice, which many women don't always make."
Opposition to abortion is growing among GPs, one in five of whom believes it should be banned.
Many MPs and campaigners want the the legal limit for terminations lowered from 24 weeks to 20 weeks. They hope to bring in the change via an amendment to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.
But Dr Harris is reported to want to table an alternative amendment allowing nurses to carry out abortions without supervision by a doctor.
A spokesman for the GMC was unable to confirm or deny if Dr Downes had been reported.
Reader views (10)
Doctor's should be allowed to give patients the time to make a choice.
Patients should be given the chance to talk this important choice through, with somebody who has the knowledge and is impartial in their professional post.
I think the abortion case is serious and unfortunately is one sided towards the pro abortion camp. The pro life camp can seem quite full on, however when you search the internet for advice on abortion, the only support you find is that of Family Planning, Marie Stopes and Brookes Clinic, all of which seem more pro abortion, than pro choice.
There is a real lack of impartial advice for those women, who, given time and support, may choose to have their baby. And this is not helping women, in fact, it is limiting their choices. I work in mental health in Northamptonshire and women who are struggling to make this important choice seem to lack the help and support they need to make a pro life choice if they choose to. They are only advised on the time limit within which they can abort. Abortion seems the only choice which is discussed. This is not impartial nor is it pro choice.
It sounds as though Dr Downes was trying to give women the chance to choose, which is exactly what women need and deserve.
- Jennifer, Nottingham, UK
What an abominably oppressive country UK has become. No one is allowed to practice their true vocation as a doctor and protect life anymore. The law favours death and even perverse sexual behaviour, while no one is permitted to say what they truly think about this. Even supporting objective empirical evidence is thrown to one side. Dr Tammie should be praised for her absolutely democratic and unbiased approach. She wants women to get the whole picture before they take what is a dramatic decision about the life that exists in her womb. Many doctors just want to wash their hands of this responsibility and pretend otherwise. My younger sister had an abortion in the late 1960s and it has marked her for life psychologically. She is highly neurotic and blames everyone else for what happens to her. It is tragic. What might have happened if she had met a really good doctor like Dr Tammie? Had she kept her baby how different things could have been. I have known other women who carry this life-lasting scar inside of them. Medical sectarianism and financial scepticism is destroying people's confidence in the medical profession. The pharmaceutical industry has very powerful interests in keeping doctors like Dr Tammie out of the profession. This is disgraceful.
- Lmack, Brunei
Pro-abortionists should shake themselves and realise that there is no need to kill a child when there are countless married couples who are more than willing to adopt, period. 98% of the abortions are done out of a mother NOT WANTING the child, so let's get real and lay off the lame excuses.
- Shelray, Texas
I would rather listen to the family doctor than some faceless politically correct bureaucrat where everything goes if it meets "targets". A human life is much more precious than meeting silly targets.
- Jacqueline, Hampstead, London
Struck off! Ridiculous, its just sound advice that all GP's should offer, sometimes abortion is entered into to without thinking it through, there are many regrets sometimes, fear can make people react irrationly so having someone who can talk it through with couples seeking abortion is just good sense.
- Brian, Wiltshire
Doctors, like politicans should leave people alone. The anti-abortionists are as radical as those they accuse of murdering. The world does not need any more unwanted, malnourished, underfed and uncared for babies and children where the parents are unable to properly provide the care, be that financially as well as (and more importantly), psychologically.
- Chanelle, Southampton, UK
Dr Downes deserves support.
- James Elliott, Eastbourne, UK
I work with NHS family planning dept, do you know how many abortions we do in a month, about 150 costing between £60,000 to £150,000 a month as it depends on how many weeks the patient is but it is very difficult for the NHS to help people that want IVF to have one child in their life.
- Fola Alaran, London
Dr Downes did the right thing. The Nu Labor adminsitration at NHS has got NO clue.
- Georgie, Islington, London
I would hope that all GPs encourage their patients to think carefully before terminating a pregnancy and provide them with appropriate information for them to make an informed choice. They should then support them in that choice. Provided she is acting professionally, there is no reason why that choice should be unduly influenced by the religious views of Dr Downes, just as it needn't be influenced by the views of "pro-choice" doctors, religious or otherwise. Dr Downe's appears to agree that it should be the patient's choice.
- Ray, Milton Keynes
