20 August 2008

California high court rules that doctors cannot deny treatment to gays on religious grounds

Kudos to the California Supreme Court, who decided unanimously on Monday that doctors may not discriminate against gays and lesbians in medical treatment, even if the procedures being sought conflict with physicians' religious beliefs.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the lawsuit stemmed from the case of a lesbian who wanted to become pregnant with donated sperm but ran into unwillingness on the part of doctors to participate in the procedure.

This reminds me of the old issue with pharmacists not wanting to fill prescriptions for birth control pills and other products that they feel are immoral. I like to point out that it is a pharmacist's job to fill the doctors' orders. If you can't do your job, then find another career path that might be more comfortable for you.

Same thing here with the docs. If you want to be a doctor, do what you've been trained to do. On the other hand, if you want to be some self-proclaimed "moral" activist, then trade in your white coat for a crucifix and rally against your med school classmates. It's your choice, but you can't have it both ways.

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