Today is a tremendous victory for all Americans and their freedom of conscience. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court upheld the right of closely-held corporations to act in conformity with their consciences and sincerely-held religious beliefs. The key issue in this case was the objection of the Green (Hobby Lobby) and Hahn (Conestoga Wood) families being mandated by the Department of Health and Human Services to pay for certain types of “contraceptives” under their employee insurance plan. Specifically, the families objected to the use of drugs such as Ella and Plan B as well as IUDs because these all can directly cause the death of a living human person. Ella, similar to RU-486, works to kill embryos and was approved by the F.D.A. as an “emergency contraceptive.” Similarly, according to the F.D.A. label, Plan B can also act at times to prevent the embryo from implanting in the lining of the uterus, resulting in embryo death. IUDs work by either killing the embryo or by preventing the embryo from implanting. For more information please read our amicus brief. AAPLOG applauds the Supreme Court majority for defending one of the most precious rights of Americans: the right to act according to conscience, especially as it pertains to not participating in and paying for services that end the lives of other human beings, even the weakest and most vulnerable. We are hopeful that this recognition of conscientious objection will help to strengthen the rights of physicians to continue to refuse to participate in any medical procedure or to prescribe any drug that is designed and purposed to kill a living human being. Read the entire Supreme Court decision.