August 8, 2025

By Tim Millea, M.D.

The first six months of the Trump Administration have seen a flurry of activity on many fronts that are important to the Catholic Medical Association (CMA). Over the same period, CMA’s involvement in policy and legislative debates in many states has also been extensive. The members of the Health Care Policy Committee continue to be at the forefront of our organization’s efforts to positively impact ethical health care in the United States.

Abortion

Abortion-related concerns remain prominent at both the federal and state levels.  The release of CMA’s policy statement on “Telemedicine Chemical Abortion” earlier this summer generated widespread attention to the dangers associated with mifepristone. Shortly thereafter, in cooperation with several other Catholic healthcare organizations, the policy statement was delivered to the FDA Commissioner and the White House Domestic Policy Council. The document was accompanied by a letter calling for FDA’s “immediate and decisive actions” to reevaluate restrictions on mifepristone, reinstate necessary safeguards, collect accurate data on adverse effects, and require full informed consent of patients regarding its harms and risks.

Physician Assisted Suicide

Once again, CMA joined with colleagues from the Christian Medical and Dental Associations and PRAF to combat promotion of physician assisted suicide at the American Medical Association’s Annual Meeting in early June. As a result of the presence and testimony of our physicians and medical students, successful opposition was once again achieved. On the state level, CMA has remained engaged in assisted suicide debates this year in Delaware, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, and Oregon. Even in the states where assisted suicide has been legalized, CMA members continue to speak up in opposition to the inevitable attempts to expand this devastating intervention. In addition, CMA’s involvement will be encouraged to oppose attempts to support assisted suicide by the American College of Physicians (ACP).

Legislative

CMA’s work on the judicial front is increasing this year. The association is participating in several amici briefs relevant to medical conscience rights and religious freedom, in venues ranging from US District Courts to Circuit Courts of Appeals to the Supreme Court. These include the important Colorado case to be heard before the Supreme Court later this year, Chiles v. Salazar, challenging the state’s ban on counseling minors suffering with gender dysphoria.

Restorative Reproductive Medicine

As a result of the work of CMA and like-minded groups, the Trump Administration is increasingly interested in the use of Restorative Reproductive Medicine (RRM) rather than reliance on IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies.  The advantages in safety, costs, and success of RRM over IVF are clear, and this solid evidence will continue to be promoted.

Care for Detransitioners

At the CMA Annual Educational Conference in 2024, the panel discussion featuring detransitioners and their stories revealed a problem that inspired many CMA members. When someone makes the decision to detransition, they find it very difficult to obtain medical care to help with that process. This has led to a cooperative effort with some other medical organizations to explore the development of a care network for these individuals. This is in an early phase, but plans are to survey CMA members for their willingness to help in this project.

Member Engagement

One factor is pertinent to all the above issues as well as future issues. CMA’s effectiveness in the restoration, protection, and promotion of moral medicine is directly related to our engagement in these debates. And that requires that we be part of the discussions within other medical organizations, such as AMA, AAP, ACOG, and many others. The only means we have to reverse the negative course of healthcare and return to principled and virtue-driven medicine is to be in the arena and speak up for what is true and good. In the near future, we will be contacting CMA members with a request that they consider joining their secular organizations and become part of the solution to the problems that have faced our professions for far too long.

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