A Christian-run health system that regards assisted suicide as “intrinsically evil” fired a doctor who fought in court for the right of her patient to use Colorado’s medical aid-in-dying law.
Barbara Morris, 65, a geriatrician, had sought to help patient Cornelius Mahoney, 64, who has terminal cancer, end his life at home, according to Kaiser Health News.
Morris’ employer, however, Centura Health Corp., forbids its physicians from helping patients die. And when Morris went to court with Mahoney, she was fired.
Colorado voters approved the assisted suicide-provision in 2016, the End of Life Options Act. The case now tests the reach of the law, including whether or not it conflicts with federal laws.
The Trump administration recently expanded the rights of providers, doctors and nurses to refuse to participate in medical actions to which they object on religious grounds.
Morris and Mahoney alleged in court that the state law allowing assisted suicide can be used to overturn Centura’s faith-based policy.
The doctor’s dismissal was based, the report said, on her defiance of doctrines set by the Catholic and Seventh-day Adventist churches that run the system and governed her employment.
Morris told Kaiser Health News it’s “obvious” her employer doesn’t have the authority to block her physician from assisting in suicide.
Centura has filed court documents asking that the case be moved to federal court because of the First Amendment’s protections for religious rights.
Kaiser News reported Centura officials charged Morris violated her employment agreement by encouraging “an option that she knew was morally unacceptable to her employer.”
The Trump administration has approved a conscience rule that strengthens the rights of doctors, nurses and others to opt out of assisting in suicide based on religious or moral grounds.
The state law, in fact, allows “hospitals and health systems to opt out of offering aid-in-dying drugs for use on their premises.”
Morris’ actions, Centura president Vance McLarren told her in a letter, violated the company’s “Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services.”
The directives state Centura’s employees “may never condone or participate in euthanasia or assisted suicide in any way.”
Centura spokeswoman Wendy Forbes told Kaiser News, “We believe the freedom of religion doctrine at the heart of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution supports our policies as a Christian health-care ministry. We will vigorously defend our constitutional rights.”
Robert Rivas, a lawyer in Florida who advocates for assisted suicide, told Kaiser News the health care company was trying to “force their religion on others.”
Centura argues it simply is exercising its constitutionally protected rights.
Kathryn Tucker of the pro-euthanasia End of Life Liberty Project, told Kaiser News the doctor’s “ethical and religious” views should override Centura’s.
