The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a press release this week, commending the work of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
“We strongly commend the Secretary (of the HHS) for publishing these proposed regulations,” the USCCB wrote. “For over three decades…, Congress has sought to ensure that health care institutions and professionals will not have to choose between abandoning medicine and violating their conscience…. The proposed regulations would implement these longstanding federal statutory protections, and thus help guarantee that health care institutions and professionals are not pushed into this Hobson’s choice,” where one is forced to go against one’s conscience or leave the practice of medicine.
The HHS issued the regulations to protect the right of conscience for those involved in the health care field as of August 21 of this year, and the bishops of the United States were quick to publish their praise for the guidelines.
Prior to the August date, while the issue of rights of conscience for medical care workers was being debated in the U.S. Congress, Justin Cardinal Rigali, Archbishop of Philadelphia and Chair of the USCCB Committee for Pro-Life Activities addressed his concerns to the members of the Congress.
What of the situation in other countries?
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