Doctors in Ontario are obligated to give referrals for medical services that clash with their moral or religious beliefs, the province's highest court has ruled. ET, a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeal for Ontario sided with an earlier divisional court decision that upheld the referral requirement. Last year, the divisional court found that while the policy does infringe on doctors' religious freedom, the benefits to the public outweigh the cost to physicians. The court said doctors can ask their staff to provide a referral to another doctor who can provide the service, or choose to specialize in a type of medicine where these issues are less frequent. Dr. Nancy Whitmore, CEO of the CSPO, called Wednesday's decision a "victory for patients" in the province.

Source: CBC News May 15, 2019 09:56 UTC