Debate over Catholic directives that affect 13 percent of US hospitals

December 10, 2013

Hospitals that serve one in six Americans adhere to Catholic doctrine that threatens the lives of patients, the American Civil Liberties Union claims in a court case filed on behalf of a Michigan woman. The ACLU is suing the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for issuing guidelines that the group claims led to substandard medical care for the pregnant woman in Michigan. The guidelines are called the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services and every Catholic hospital and Catholic healthcare institution must adhere to them or risk losing their classification as a Catholic institution. (ABC News)