Contact: Margie Shealy, Christian Medical Association, 423-844-1047

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21 /Standard Newswire/ -- The Christian Medical Association, the nation's largest faith-based association of healthcare professionals, today lauded the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for officially proposing regulations to implement federal laws protecting the First Amendment rights of healthcare professionals and patients.

CMA CEO Dr. David Stevens said, "These regulations are desperately needed to protect First Amendment rights and implement federal law in what is becoming a jungle of coercion in healthcare. Two of five of our members indicate they have been subjected to pressure and discrimination in the healthcare profession simply because they adhere to life-affirming, patient-protecting standards of medical ethics such as the Hippocratic Oath.

"Clearly, unless we act now to protect the right of healthcare professionals to make standards-based ethical decisions, patients will be penalized with less access to healthcare. If current trends of coercion are allowed to continue, patients will not be able to find physicians who share their life-affirming values."

"The recent all-out campaign by those who oppose conscience rights to muzzle these HHS regulations actually has served to highlight the need for the regulations. Their comments have demonstrated the poisonous, hostile and intolerant environment they have created for healthcare professionals who practice medicine according to life-honoring standards of ethics.

"Personal testimonies from our members and others suggest healthcare professionals many healthcare professionals who experience pressure and discrimination for their life-affirming ethical decisions simply try to find another position, since they are unaware of existing legal protections."

CMA Senior Vice President Dr. Gene Rudd, an Obstetrician-Gynecologist, noted, "Sometimes the discrimination and coercion because of life-affirming views is subtle, such as denying admission to medical students, training privileges to residents or promotions to graduate physicians. Other times a line is clearly and overtly drawn between either participating in unethical actions or losing their position or career.

"The effect of this intolerant and discriminatory atmosphere is most disturbing at the student level. As first-year medical student Trevor Kitchens told us, 'I am currently very interested in OB/GYN, but I am afraid of the relationship between this field and abortion. My concern is that I will start a residence and would subsequently be required at some point to give a patient the option of abortion, which I would refuse. My fear is that taking this stand would cost me my residence position.'

"Vital issues including abortion, assisted suicide, end of life decisions and other important ethical matters must not be matters of coercion but of conscience."

Related links in this document:
http://www.cmawashington.org
http://www.cmda.org
http://www.hhs.gov/

Comments by Healthcare Professionals on draft HHS regulations on conscience