Resolutions are an important tool to educate other members and the general public about important healthcare and bioethical issues. Resolutions are actions requested by the membership and go before the General Assembly every Fall at the Annual Educational Conference.
The following are resolutions accepted as positions of the CMA.
Abortion
1-5 FDA removal of RU-486
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association calls upon the Food and
Drug Administration to respond to citizens petitions calling for
Removal of RU-486 from the market in an urgent action.
(2005) (renewed 2015)
1-6 Support federal law that prohibits physician participation in abortion
RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association supports the current
Federal law which protects the physician from being coerced
into referring for abortion. (2005) (renewed 2015)
1-9 Opposition to abortion and the distribution and sale of baby body parts
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the CMA continue to advocate for protection of pre-born
babies, condemn any abortion, and to affirm with clarity the
value of human life, and Be it resolved, that the CMA oppose
any unethical and immoral procurement, distribution, and sale
of babies or baby body parts including embryos, fetuses and
baby body parts, babies who died from induced abortions or
stillborns or infants (both alive or dead) and human cell lines
(as per Dignitas Personae, section 35), and Be it resolved, that
the CMA support that aborted babies be buried or cremated to
show due respect to God’s littlest ones and to help halt the sale
of aborted baby body parts. (2015)
1-10 Resolution on expansion of medical abortion
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the FDA require a central registry for all those
having a medical abortion, with mandatory reporting from
every state and territory of complications and moralities from
medical abortions; that the drug be administered only by a
physician with surgical privileges at a hospital within 30
minutes of the facility where the drug is dispensed; that the
dispensing physician be responsible for follow-up and handling
of complications; and that the patient be informed that the
process could be stopped without harm to her or the baby.
(2016)
1-11 Resolution on induced abortion as a risk for breast cancer
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association supports the education of physicians
of the increased breast cancer risk with induced abortion; further, supports
that all healthcare professionals fully inform their patients of these risks and
appropriate breast cancer screening (2017)
Clergy/Hierarchy Resolutions
2-5 CMA call upon USCCB to use its resources for conscience protection
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association call upon the USCCB
to further employ their good offices and their lobbyists to
influence the enforcement of conscience protection for
medical applicants, students, residents, residency applicants
and allied health personnel including nurses and pharmacists.
(2005) (renewed 2015)
Clergy Issues
CMA Directives
4-1 CMA Consecration to Sacred Heart
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association, its members and their
families will be formally consecrated to the Most Sacred Heart
of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary at an
appropriate time and place to be determined by the Board
of Directors. (1997) (renewed 2015)
4-2 Encourage CMA members to participate in NCBC course
RESOLVED,
that the CMA encourage its membership to become familiar
with, and follow, the ERD’s and encourages attendance of its
members at the course offered by the NCBC. (2001) (renewed
2015)
4-6 Adopt St. Gianna Molla as Co-Patroness of the CMA
RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association adopt St. Gianna Molla
as co-patroness with St. Luke, the Evangelist, with all the
privileges thereof, asking for intercession for the members of
the organization and holding her up as a model of a woman
physician who balanced her private practice of medicine with
her responsibilities as a wife and mother, and who witnessed
to her Catholic faith by laying down her life for that of her
child’s. (2010)
4-7 Resolution on the Opposing the HHS Mandate
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association take a leadership role in
educating fellow Catholics, neighbors, and citizens about the
destructive consequences of the HHS mandate and, in
particular, its negative effects on women’s health and on the
doctor-patient relationship. (2012)
4-8 Resolution on the Opposing the HHS Mandate
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association provide resources and
support to Catholic physicians and health-care professionals.
(2012)
4-9 Resolution on the Opposing the HHS Mandate
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association redouble its efforts to
offer healthcare services that respect the teachings of the
Church on life and love and that truly serve the health and
well-being of patients and their families. (2012)
4-10 Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Immaculate Heart of Mary
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association continue the annual consecration prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through the Immaculate Heart of Mary annually during the Fall Meeting of the Catholic Medical Association. (2015)
4-11 Physician Resource to Aid in the Establishment of a Catholic Centered Medical Practice
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association establish a “library” of
resources comprised of physicians, bio-ethicists, Church
officials or organizations, and literature to be a “how to”
resource in establishing and/or maintaining a medical practice
in keeping with the authentic teachings of the Catholic Church.
(2016)
Contraception
5-6 Oppose emergency contraceptives sale over the counter
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association call upon the USCCB
to further employ their good offices and their lobbyists to
influence the enforcement of conscience protection for
medical applicants, students, residents, residency applicants
and allied health personnel including nurses and pharmacists.
(2005) (renewed 2015)
5-7 Ulipristal Acetate’s Mechanism of Action as an Emergency Contraceptive
RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association condemns the FDA’s
approval of the drug ella (ulipristal acetate) as an emergency
contraceptive because of its embryocidal and abortifacient
mechanisms of action and because of the unknown health risks
to the woman who is exposed to this drug. (2010)
5-8 Statement on Emergency Contraception in Cases of Rape
BE IT RESOLVED,
the application of the Peoria Protocol in cases of rape does not preclude a post-fertilization effect on a conceptus in cases of rape. (2015)
End of Life Issues
6-7 POLST paradigm
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the CMA has grave concerns about the faulty assumptions, changes in purpose of care, changes in legal/medical/ethical standards, changes in decision making procedures, violation of the doctor-patient relationship and overall lessening of protection afforded specific populations by the POLST paradigm shift, and Be it resolved, the CMA recommits to ethical principles of medicine based on the inherent dignity of life, even in its frailty; to strengthening and restoring the physician-patient relationship; and to ethical medical decision-making processes. (2015)
6-8 Physician Assisted (Doctor Prescribed) Suicide
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association officially join its voice to other organizations in opposition to any legislation advocating or mandating for Physician Assisted Suicide or any law permitting physician prescriptions or interventions for the explicit or implied purpose of a person ending his or her life. (2016)
6-9 Palliative Care as an alternative to physician assisted suicide and euthanasia
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the CMA supports all Catholic palliative care programs to respect the teachings of the Magisterium through the Papal encyclicals, especially the writings of Pope Saint John Paul II and the pronouncements of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith over the past 50 years, concerning the obligatory provision of proportionate care, including food and water, even if administered by artificial means, if no contraindications, as long as it fulfills its intended purpose of providing nutrition and hydration and would otherwise be the cause of death if withdrawn. (2018)
Ethical Directives/Opinions
7-5 Participation in Death Penalty Cases by Catholic Physicians and Other Health Care Workers
BE IT RESOLVED,
as Catholic physicians, pharmacists, technicians and health care professionals, we cannot participate in an execution directly by recommending the mode of execution, prescribing tranquilizers for the execution, selecting the lethal drug and dose, providing intravenous access, performing the lethal injection, or monitoring vital signs during the execution and declaring the person dead.
BE IT ALSO RESOLVED,
we Catholic physicians and health care professionals cannot participate indirectly in an execution by supervising
another individual mixing and performing the lethal injection or providing consultation on the protocol to be followed. (2017)
Family/Sexual Education
8-7 Abstinence only programs should receive federal support
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
that abstinence only programs should continue to
receive federal support in the future. (2005) (renewed 2015)
8-8 Safe environment programs should be redesigned and made optional to protect parental rights
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
that the so-called “safe environment” programs be
redesigned and made optional to avoid erosion of
parental rights and avoid harm to children. (2005) (renewed
2015)
8-9 Healthy Families Safe Children
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
that the CMA encourages all parents interested in the healthy
development and safety of their children to learn and apply
the principles of sound human development as embodied in
the DVD series Healthy Families Safe Children. (2010)
8-10 Resolution to defund School Clinics
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association, respecting the rights of
parental involvement in their children’s health care, urge the
U.S. House of Representatives to defund school-based clinics
under the Affordable Care Act of 2010. (2014)
8-11 Resolution on Gender Neutral Public Spaces
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association, in recognition of the
dignity of the person, supports the continuation of sex-specific
facilities in all public and private places. (2016)
8-12 Resolution on Transgender Treatments
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association does not support the
use of any hormones, hormone blocking agents or surgery in
all human persons for the treatment of Gender Dysphoria.
(2016)
8-13 Resolution on Gender Dysphoria
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association and its members
reject all policies that condition all persons with gender dysphoria
to accept as normal a life of chemical and surgical impersonation of
the opposite sex; further, that the use of puberty blocking hormones
and cross-sex hormones and surgical reassignment surgery be rejected. (2017)
8-14 Humanae Vitae and Natural Family Planning
BE IT RESOLVED, that the CMA recognized the prophetic nature of the encyclical Humanae
Vitae on the 50th anniversary of its publication,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Catholic Medical Association recognizes the important need to
help our patients repair and avoid the dangerous consequences predicted by Pope Paul VI through continued promotion of natural family planning.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Catholic Medical Association recognizes the sanctity of the
procreative powers given to mankind through the gift of sexual intercourse properly ordered, in the
permanent union in true love, to marriage between one man and one woman. (2018)
Fertility/Infertility
9-5 Updating Evidence-Based Information about the Efficacy of Fertility Awareness-Based Methods of Family Planning
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association request that the Center
for Disease Control update the effectiveness rates quoted for
each fertility awareness-based methods in their “Effectiveness
of Family Planning Methods” to reflect the highest quality of
research currently available. (2016)
9-6 Resolution on Assisted Reproductive Technology
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association opposes any type of
assisted reproductive technology that separates the unitive and
procreative aspects of conjugal intimacy, but supports any
technology that recognizes the dignity of the human person (all
embryos are human persons) and does not separate these two
inherent aspects of the marital act. (2016)
Health Care Policy
10-2 Resolution to pray for West Africa and an end to the Ebola breakout
LET IT BE RESOLVED,
that the members of the Catholic Medical Association
resolve to pray for the people of West Africa and their
caregivers during this Ebola epidemic and find every
opportunity to give credit to God with their patients for
the healing they receive. (2014)
Homosexuality
12-4 CMA physicians not provide assistance with illicit sexual activity
RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association recommend that
physicians who are approached by patients seeking
assistance for extramarital or otherwise illicit sexual
activity (i.e. contraceptive, perverse, or abusive) engage
such patients in personal dialogue, reviewing with them in a
compassionate way the circumstances of their personal
relationships, teaching them of the truth and beauty of
human sexuality, and advising them of the physical risks as
well as the personally disintegrative effects of sexual activity
outside of marriage, but never cooperating with them by
prescribing, recommending or referring them for assistance
with any form of illicit sexual activity. (2001) (renewed 2015)
Medical/Legal Positions
13-12 Resolution on Health Care Reform
RESOLVED,
that CMA members urge Congress and their elective
representatives to “reset” the effort to enact health care
reform legislation, to reexamine their commitment to the
principles of the current legislation, and to begin the process
anew. (2009)
13-13 Resolution on Health Care Reform
BE IT RESOLVED,
that Congress enact legislation that respects the Principle of
Subsidiarity by recognizing the rights of the individuals,
families, groups and communities to make decisions about
their health care insurance and treatment options. (2009)
13-14 Resolution on Health Care Reform
BE IT RESOLVED,
that Congress enact legislation respecting the physician-patient
relationship rather than legislation inserting more bureaucrats
and regulations into their relationship. (2009)
13-15 Resolution on Health Care Reform
BE IT RESOLVED,
that before or concurrent with passing any health care reform
legislation, Congress provide comprehensive, enforceable
protection for the conscience rights of health care providers,
institutions and programs. (2009)
13-16 Resolution on Health Care Reform
BE IT RESOLVED,
that any health care legislation passed by Congress and signed
into law shall exclude any funding of abortion. (2009)
13-17 Resolution on Health Care Reform
BE IT RESOLVED,
that Congress should enact legislation that respects the
Principle of Solidarity in reforming Medicaid and Medicare
and in providing a way for all who fall outside current social
assistance programs to obtain basic health care services
consistent with human dignity, respect and justice. (2009)
13-18 Resolution on Health Care Reform
BE IT RESOLVED,
that Congress enact legislation permitting fair and transparent
competition for health care insurance plans so that individuals
and families can purchase affordable health insurance that
comports with their values and needs. (2009)
13-19 Resolution on Health Care Reform
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association calls upon members of
the judiciary to protect the human, constitutional, federal
rights of religious liberty and respect for conscience for those
who have petitioned the courts for relief from the HHS
mandate. (2012)
13-20 Resolution on Health Care Reform
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association calls upon Congress to
enact legislation as quickly as possible that provide
comprehensive and effective protection for conscience rights
and religious liberty for all Americans. (2012)
13-21 Resolution on Health Care Reform
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association support bishops, priests,
and religious in their public witness against the HHS mandate and to oppose it by every appropriate means available. (2012)
13-22 Resolution Calling for States to Affirm Traditional Marriage
RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association calls on all state
governments and the federal government to promote
the welfare of children by affirming that marriage can only
exist between one man and one woman, and that marriage, as
traditionally understood, should be upheld as
13-23 Healthcare Rights of Conscience Resolution
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the CMA continue to support physicians’ right to conscience protection and appropriate healthcare rights of conscience legislation to protect physicians from coercion, imposition and any type of penalty by governmental or other regulatory measures that would violate the professional integrity of physicians and endanger their right to practice their chosen field of medicine. (2015)
Medical Student/Resident Issues
Obstetrics/Gynecology
15-2 Rejecting Support for Organizations Who Fund Planned Parenthood
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association does not support, and
urges its members not to support, any organization, including
Susan G. Komen for the Cure, that provides funds to
Planned Parenthood or its affiliates for any purpose. (2010)
15-3 Resolution on Opportunistic Bilateral Salpingectomy
BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association strongly opposes the
performance of “opportunistic bilateral salpingectomy” for
reducing the average risk of ovarian cancer at the time of an
elective surgery in a premenopausal patient, such as a repeat
cesarean section, as well as any other elective gynecologic
surgery, other than hysterectomy. (2016)
Research
16-1 Moratorium on human cloning in laboratory
RESOLVED,
that the CMA calls a moratorium on any attempt to achieve
human cloning in the laboratory. (1998) (renewed 2015)
Stem Cells
17-1 Object to acquisition of stem cells from human embryos
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association objects to the acquisition
of stem cells from human embryos. (2001) (renewed 2015)
17-2 Adult and umbilical stem cells be investigated and receive federal funding
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
that the Catholic Medical Association strongly opposes the
performance of “opportunistic bilateral salpingectomy” for
reducing the average risk of ovarian cancer at the time of an
elective surgery in a premenopausal patient, such as a repeat
cesarean section, as well as any other elective gynecologic
surgery, other than hysterectomy. (2016)
Vaccines
18-6 Vaccines ok on temporary basis if no other moral alternative available total stem cell lines
“Parents and physicians may use the current vaccines without
immoral cooperation in abortion “on a temporary basis” when
no ethical alternative is available and “insomuch as is
necessary in order to avoid a serious risk not only for one’s
children but also…for the health conditions of the population
as a whole”.
When no other ethical alternative is available, “it is right to
abstain from using these vaccines if it can be done without
causing children, and indirectly the population as a whole, to
undergo significant risks to their health”. (2005) (renewed
2015)
18-7 CMA condemns pharma companies that participate in illicit methods tocreate vaccines
AND BE IT RESOLVED,
that the CMA condemns the illicit cooperation in abortion by
pharmaceutical companies in the manufacturing of vaccines
and encourages the use of ethical alternatives with
opposition by all legitimate means to those vaccines with
moral problems. And be it further resolved that parents and
physicians “have a duty” to seek alternative product whenever
available and that both parents and the medical professionals
have a “grave responsibility” to call upon the vaccine
manufacturers, the FDA and government officials to make
products available as soon as possible that are not grown on
cell lines procured from abortion. (2005) (renewed 2015)