SCOTUS Ruling that Abortion is Not Constitutionally Protected Is Troubling Trend of Restricting Patient–Directed Care, Group Says

June 24, 2022

Ruling Undermines All Patient Medical Decision-Making

The U.S. Supreme Court’s official ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, that a constitutional right to abortion no longer exists, potentially threatens patient-directed end-of-life care, according to the nation’s largest end-of-life care advocacy organization.

“Any ruling that undermines patient-directed care undermines all patient medical decision-making,” said Kevin Díaz, the chief legal advocacy officer for Compassion & Choices, whose mission is to expand and improve healthcare options at the end of life. “Restrictions on end-of-life care include voiding pregnant people’s advance directives, ignoring the decision-making authority of a patient’s healthcare proxy, redefining the legal definition of death to keep patients on life support against their will, and allowing physicians opposed to medical aid in dying to refuse to transfer a patient’s medical records to a physician willing to provide this option. We will use every tool at our disposal to combat this troubling trend until we reverse it.”

Compassion & Choices
Media Contacts

Michael Cavaiola
National Director of Marketing & Communications
[email protected] 
Phone: (480) 622 4427

Patricia A. González-Portillo
Senior National Latino Media Director
[email protected]
(323) 819 0310

Compassion & Choices
8156 S Wadsworth Blvd #E-162
Littleton, CO 80128

Mail contributions directly to:
Compassion & Choices Gift Processing Center
PO Box 485
Etna, NH 03750

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