Four Muslim physicians sued Illinois officials Wednesday, arguing that the state’s new assisted-suicide law conflicts with their religious beliefs by requiring them to tell patients about medical aid in dying and, in certain situations, help them obtain the medication.
The Becket Fund filed the federal lawsuit in the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on behalf of Drs. Akbar Ali, Asim Babar, Omar Hussain and Umar Shakur.
Known as the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act, or Deb’s Law, the measure took effect Sept. 12.
The law permits Illinois residents who are at least 18, capable of making their own medical decisions and diagnosed with a terminal illness expected to cause death within six months to obtain medication they can self-administer to end their lives.
Although the law does not require physicians to directly participate in providing aid-in-dying care, it imposes other obligations on doctors involved in end-of-life treatment.
Those requirements include informing patients about the option and, according to the lawsuit, addressing referrals and the transfer of medical records.
The physicians say complying with those provisions would violate their Muslim faith, which holds that “human life is sacred.”
They argue that Illinois has placed them in the position of either violating their religious convictions or risking penalties for refusing to comply.
The doctors are asking the court to halt enforcement of the challenged provisions or rule that they are unconstitutional.
