CA Medical Association Withdraws Original Brief Supporting Doctors' Religious Objections

Oral arguments are scheduled October 11 in a San Diego, California state court of appeals in the case of two doctors who refused because of their religious beliefs to provide artificial insemination to a lesbian. The Associated Press reported yesterday that the California Medical Association which originally filed a brief backing the doctors has now withdrawn its controversial brief, and will file another brief in its place. The Medial Association's Chief Executive, Jack Lewin, said, "it is clear that CMA's policy commitment to oppose any form of invidious discrimination had been so significantly confused and misrepresented, that it was in the best interest of CMA to withdraw the brief." The CMA's new brief says that legal and ethical standards prohibit physicians from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or marital status, but they can refuse to perform certain procedures on religious grounds if they refuse such treatment for all patients.