PETTY

Indiana Quietly Denied Award to Doc Who Performed 10-Year-Old’s Abortion

The state rejected Dr. Caitlin Bernard for the Torchbearer award without giving an explanation to the judges who selected her, according to emails.

The state of Indiana quietly turned down a recommendation to give a prestigious award to a doctor who was targeted by the state’s attorney general over an abortion she performed on a 10-year-old rape victim, the Indy Star reported Tuesday. Judges for the Torchbearer, which honors women with great achievements, selected Dr. Caitlin Bernard for defending reproductive rights, even as conservative officials vilified her nationally. But the state rejected Bernard for the award without giving an explanation to the judges, according to emails reviewed by the Star. When later asked about the decision, the Indiana Civil Rights Commission told the Star that Bernard was rejected due to her case from the Indiana State Medical Licensing Board. In May, the board handed Bernard a $3,000 fine and a letter of reprimand for violating patient privacy under HIPAA and state law in telling the 10-year-old’s story, despite disagreement among experts about whether she truly went against any privacy standards. A spokesperson for Bernard did not respond to a request for comment from the Star.