Washington D.C., Aug 27, 2021 / 14:02 pm
The Catholic Medical Association has joined a lawsuit against a Biden administration rule that it says tramples the conscience rights of doctors opposed to gender-transitioning procedures.
In May, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a notice effectively reinstating the “transgender mandate,” requiring doctors to perform gender-transitioning procedures upon the referral of a mental health professional. The requirement does not include exemptions for doctors opposed to the procedures for medical or conscience reasons.
“Biological identity must remain the basis for treating patients,” the association’s president Dr. Michael Parker stated on Aug. 26. The "transgender mandate" interprets unlawful sex discrimination in health care to include discrimination on the basis of self-determined gender identity.
“This mandate not only puts the health and safety of our patients in jeopardy, but it in effect also mandates that health care providers give up their fundamental right to conscience. This sets a dangerous precedent with incalculable implications for the ethical practice of medicine,” added Dr. Parker.