By J.J. Huggins
METHUEN — Staff at Caritas Holy Family Hospital allegedly told a researcher posing as a rape counselor that they do not offer emergency contraception to rape victims.
NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts released a new statewide survey this week finding that staff at two hospitals denied emergency contraception, even though a 2005 state law requires them to do so. The researcher called all 70 hospitals with emergency departments in the state, the group said in a press release.
The alleged offending hospitals are Caritas Holy Family in Methuen and Caritas St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Brighton, the press release said.
Mark Pearlmutter, chairman and vice president of Network Emergency Services for Caritas Christi Health Care, released a statement in response.
"Throughout the past few years, the six Caritas Christi Health Care emergency departments, including St. Elizabeth's Medical Center and Holy Family Hospital, have been consistently in compliance with Massachusetts' Emergency Contraception Law in situations of sexual assault and rape," he said. "We conduct routine and extensive training of emergency department staff related to this and other emergency medical situations; in all cases, clinical staff follow established protocol while treating each patient with dignity and compassion."
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