Leah Torres MD

Ms. Nicole Arteaga’s story opened our eyes to something that is not infrequent, educating the masses that according to U. S. federal law health care providers have the right to refuse to provide health care if it is against their personal morals. The “Church Amendments”(yes, that is their common name) protect health care providers (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, administration, etc) from being discriminated against if they refuse to participate in performing or assisting in performing an abortion or sterilization procedure that would be contrary to their religious beliefs or moral convictions. I can’t be discriminated against for providing sterilization or abortion care, my hospital can’t be denied grants/financial aid if it refuses to train in abortion or sterilization care, and I can’t be fired for not providing abortion or sterilization care if it is against my moral views. If I counsel someone that an IUD would be more appropriate than a hysterectomy, and I refuse to perform the hysterectomy, it is not due to personal beliefs or religious morals: it is because it goes against nonmaleficence and it may not be standard of care.