Philadelphia, PA—The Catholic Medical Association commends Centura Health on its commitment to remain opposed to physician assisted suicide.
“Protecting and defending life in all of its stages is the foundation of Catholic healthcare,” said CMA President, Dr. John Schirger. “The CMA stands by the Catholic hospital’s policy—which prohibits employees from participating in physician-assisted suicide,” Dr. Schirger added.
“Catholic healthcare has the Constitutional right to live out its mission consistent with the Gospel imperative and the Hippocratic tradition, and invites others who share that common call to work with them to these ends,” said Dr. Marie Hilliard, Co-Chair of CMA’s Ethics Committee.
CMA has spoken out many times against physician assisted suicide as a critical issue which needs to be addressed. Furthmore, CMA believes every human life, from conception until death, has innate human dignity from the Creator; and as health care providers, our role is to heal. Physician assisted suicide delegitimizes the role of the healer, which results in the loss of patient and societal trust.
“Catholic hospitals and the physicians who are privileged to work there should support the hospital mission to heal the sick, care for the terminally ill and never abandon a patient in most need of authentic palliative care. In a culture that continues to devalue human life, these institutions are bright lights illuminating the dignity of every human being,” said Dr. Greg Burke, Co-Chair of CMA’s Ethics Committee.
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The Catholic Medical Association is a national, physician-led community of over 2,300 healthcare professionals consisting of 109 local guilds. CMA mission is to inform, organize, and inspire its members, in steadfast fidelity to the teachings of the Catholic Church, to uphold the principles of the Catholic faith in the science and practice of medicine.
