Bioethics Public Policy Report: May 26, 2026
State by State
A Catholic licensed counselor in Oregon, Frank Canepa, was fined $90,000 by the state for telling his client that he did not support same-sex relationships because of his faith. The state licensure board found that the counselor had “imposed” his own values, in violation of the American Counseling Association’s rules, even though the client had asked the counselor for his personal view repeatedly. The counselor is appealing the fine with the Alliance Defending Freedom. For further information, click here.
The State of Texas has reached a settlement with Texas Children’s Hospital that requires the hospital to pay $10 million and establish the nation’s first de-transition clinic, following a lawsuit alleging that the hospital had performed secret sex-rejecting procedures for minors in violation of state law. The clinic will operate free of charge for the first five years of operation. For further information, click here.
Federal Courts
The U.S. Supreme Court has reversed a temporary injunction of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals that prevented telehealth prescriptions of the chemical abortion drug mifepristone, which will allow the practice to continue at least until the lawsuit is resolved in the lower courts. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito dissented, pointing to the Comstock Act, which expressly prohibits the mailing of abortifacients. For further information, click here.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has appealed to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals after a lower court ruled that the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act requires employers to accommodate for abortion if a pregnant woman is experiencing negative health effects from pregnancy. NCBC provided public comment on the regulations promulgated implementing the law, which can be found here. For further information, click here and here.
National
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released a fact sheet entitled, “Targeted Sanctions in Response to Violations of International Religious Freedom,” which discusses the role of sanctions on nations which violate religious freedom in securing the liberty of believers in other nations. To read the fact sheet, click here.
Marty Makary has resigned from his position as Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), with Kyle Diamantas as Acting Commissioner as the administration looks for someone to fill the position. Makary did not act to reverse the FDA’s regulation allowing telehealth prescriptions of mifepristone, whereas Diamantas, despite some prior legal case representation, has indicated support for pro-life and pro-family causes. For further information, click here and here.
Sen. Roger Marshall has introduced a bill that would require hospitals to give parents who suffer miscarriage information on their rights as to burials and funerals. For further information, click here.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced a restructuring of its Office for Civil Rights into three divisions, one of which will be dedicated to conscience and religious liberty issues. For further information, click here.
International
The French Senate voted against a provision of the proposed assisted suicide law that would have legalized assisted suicide, whereas it approved the provision strengthening palliative care. President Emmanuel Macron is seeking to get the law passed, notwithstanding the vote of the Senate, in the summer, whereas the conservative opposition is asking for it to be put to a referendum. For further information, click here.
Following rulings from the Court of Justice of the European Union and Poland’s Supreme Administrative Court, Warsaw has recognized the first same-sex “marriage” in Poland from another European Union country. Polish law still defines marriage as between one man and one woman. For further information, click here.
Of Note
The Pew Research Center published a report that indicated that 37% of Americans believe that religion is gaining influence, with more than half believing that religion has a positive role in society. For further information, click here.
On May 25, the Vatican released Pope Leo XIV’s first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas: “On the Protection of Human Dignity in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” To read the encyclical, click here. For further information, click here.
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