January 23, 2018
Dear Editor,
On behalf of the entire membership of the Catholic Medical Association, we applaud President Donald Trump’s courageous action to restore conscience protection rights to healthcare professionals at the Department of Health and Human Services. These rights of conscience, enshrined in the First Amendment, are critical to our mission to provide the finest healthcare to our patients, care that will truly “Do No Harm”.
Every day medical professionals struggle to maintain their moral conscience rights while caring for their patients. Unfortunately, there are countless cases where we are being forced to choose between violating our conscience or losing our jobs. Perhaps, among the most egregious is that of surgical nurse Cathy Cenzon-DeCarlo who was forced to help perform a later-term abortion at Mount Sinai Hospital, in New York City or face termination.
Currently, laws do not recognize a right of victims of discrimination to go to court to defend their rights of conscience. That is why the Catholic Medical Association, with 14 other medical organizations representing 15,000 medical professionals, urge the passage of the Health Care Conscience Rights Act (HR 940, S1919). This legislation will provide permanent legal protection in defense of conscience and religious liberty.
Most patients desire healthcare providers with the character and integrity reflective of their own, physicians who will not compromise deeply held moral convictions to comply with government mandates. This deeply rooted connection between doctor and patient is only possible if healthcare workers aren’t forced to violate their conscience in delivering care.
We want to thank the President for such a strong and much-needed restoration of our religious liberty. We also extend to him the gratitude of each one of our patients because the best and last protection for every patient is a doctor with a conscience.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors,
Peter T. Morrow, M.D.
President
Religious freedom is “one of America’s most precious possessions …” “all are called to be vigilant, precisely as good citizens, to preserve and defend that freedom from everything that would threaten or compromise it…” Pope Francis 9/23/15