Phony Study

A paper published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that "fetal perception of pain is unlikely before the third trimester." Only one problem: The authors have significant, undisclosed ties to the abortion industry and can rightly be suspected of bias. One is the medical director of the so-called Women's Options Center at San Francisco General Hospital, which performs abortions. Another is a former employee of the (also so-called) NARAL Pro-Choice America advocacy organization.

JAMA failed miserably to assure its readers that the "study" on fetal pain, which was actually just a summary of some earlier studies, was based on science and not on pure political propaganda. Can you imagine the reaction if JAMA had published, without disclosure, a study by pro-life researchers that the unborn actually do feel pain?

And besides, what difference does it make? Killing is still killing, whether the victim feels it or not.