A federal court in New York has awarded the Catholic Archdiocese of New York a permanent injunction barring enforcement of the contentious federal regulation that requires objecting employers to pay for health insurance for contraception and surgical sterilization. The federal government can appeal the ruling. [New York Times]
Category: News
French public panel recommends legalization of euthanasia
A panel of 18 people deemed representative of society, appointed by the French national ethics committee had decided that euthanasia/assisted suicide is a “legitimate right” for the dying or terminally ill. The ethics committee had previously advised the French government against legalizing the procedures because of concern that it would be “dangerous” for society. French President Francois Hollande is reported to be planning to bring forward a bill. [Reuters]
Belgian Senate approves euthanasia for children
By a vote of 50-17 the Belgian Senate has approved a bill to allow
euthanasia for children. The bill must pass the House of Representatives before being sent for Royal Assent. Ultimate passage of the bill is predicted by many political observers. [Lifesite News]
Confusing report of Slovenian hospital controversy
Ten physicians at the Ljubljana UKC hospital’s surgery programme for congenital
heart defects of children are reported to have used a “conscience clause” in order to deal with a dispute involving the occasional engagement of foreign surgeons. Their complaint centres on the fact that a visiting Israeli surgeon does not remain for post-operative care of the children. It is not clear how this could have been done, since Slovenian protection of conscience laws are not applicable in the situation described. The report elsewhere refers to the physicians’ action as a “collective resignation.” [STA News Service] The engagement of the Israeli surgeon had previously been found to be and example of corruption [STA News Service].
Protection of conscience bill to be proposed in Alabama
Representative Becky Nordgren of Alabama, is proposing a Health Care Right of Conscience Act in the state legislature. The bill is intended to protect all health care providers from being compelled to participate, directly or indirectly, in abortion, human cloning, human embryonic stem cell research, and sterilization if they object to the procedures for reasons of conscience. A health care provider must give an employer no less than 24 hours written notice of an objection. An exception is made in the case of a procedure necessary to save the life of a patient. Patricia Todd, a Representative apparently hostile to freedom of conscience for health care workers, asked “[W]hy are you in the health care profession if you don’t want to provide health care?” adding that there had been no attempts to regulate male impotence drugs or prostate exams. [Anniston Star]