Fun with Trans-vaginal Probes….

It was only a momentary diversion, but yesterday the Indiana Senate debated a proposed amendment to the offensive bill requiring (among other things) that poor women wanting prescriptions for abortifacants undergo two trans-vaginal probes.

Here’s the relevant language:

“Before giving, selling, dispensing, administering, prescribing, or otherwise providing an erectile dysfunction drug to a man showing symptoms of erectile dysfunction, a physician licensed under IC 25-22.5 shall do the following:

(1) Examine in person the man showing symptoms of erectile dysfunction.

 (2) Conduct a prostate examination or oversee a prostate examination by an individual who is licensed or certified in Indiana and whose scope of practice includes the conducting of a prostate examination.

 (3) Document the following information on the patient’s medical records:

(A) The size of the patient’s prostate.

(B) Whether the patient is showing symptoms of benign prostate problems.

 (C) Whether a benign prostate problem could be contributing to the patient’s erectile dysfunction.

(4) Provide the following information to the man diagnosed with erectile dysfunction:

(A) A copy of the final printed drug label.

(B) The name and telephone number for the physician who prescribed the erectile dysfunction medication and information for follow-up care in the event of an adverse event described in section 2 of this chapter.

(c) A physician licensed under IC 25-22.5 who gives, sells, dispenses, administers, prescribes, or otherwise provides an erectile dysfunction drug to a man shall schedule a follow-up appointment with the man at approximately fourteen (14) days after prescribing the erectile dysfunction drug to:

 (1) conduct a physical exam, including an electrocardiogram, to ensure that the man is healthy enough for continued sexual activity; and assess the degree to which the erectile dysfunction drug has aided in temporarily relieving the symptoms of erectile dysfunction.

(d) The physician described in subsection (c) shall make a reasonable effort to ensure that the patient returns for the follow-up appointment described in subsection (c), including recording in the patient’s medical records:

(1) the date and time of the follow-up appointment;

(2) a brief description of the efforts the physician and the physician’s staff took to ensure the patient’s return; and the name of the individual who performed the efforts.

There’s more, but you get the idea.

Gee–I wonder why this eminently reasonable amendment, motivated solely by concern for the health of the male patient, was voted down.

12 Comments

  1. It’s only fair, and it has more merit than just to poke fun. Until trans-prostatic probes are required, we’re nowhere near treating men and women equally under the law.

  2. As an update, the Senate accepted Amendment #1 to the bill which allows the doctor to determine how they want to check the end of the pregnancy. Therefore, it eliminates the requirement women should have two ultrasounds.

    Who knows what will happen to this bill in the House, however. If it makes it past 3rd reading in the Senate today…

  3. “Boobs with Bibles”
    Might be a good nick name for the worst legislature in America.
    (at least in the Midwest)
    I like the amendment.
    They should keep putting it forward for as long as “the probe” on the table.

  4. Just to be clear, John, they eliminated the 2nd ultrasound, but left the requirement for the first one in place, right? Wonder if the women subjected to the provIsions of the bill will see that change as a 50% improvement in the bill.

  5. Proposed solution to SB 371 and related misogynous issues:

    Honey, I want our love life to get back to normal. And it can, just as soon as you and your friends straighten out the angry old white men in the General Assembly.

    Xoxo,

    Your wife

  6. Bob; I keep asking where the Republican women are during the ongoing GOP anti-women campaign. Apparently they are stay-at-home, housekeeping, cake-baking, babysitting, well behaved, totally controlled wives of our elected male dominated General Assembly. Maybe they are being held hostage as John Boehner and Congress is holding this government and the nation hostage due to sheer numbers. Until they realize they are American citizens, as well as residents of Indiana, and they have the same rights as their husbands and fathers, bills such as SB 371 will pass through the legislature as the proverbial you-know-what through a goose.

  7. JoAnn, some of the Republican women are in our legislature and they’re as bad as, or worse, than the men. Maybe somebody can figure out their motivation and let me know what it is.

    Outstanding letter in Sunday’s Star, by the way.

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