Justice and Health Care: When “Ordinary” is Extraordinary †

Abstract

In some Asian countries, the poor are often denied access to health care. In the Philippines, we have thousands of Catholic doctors, Catholic nurses, even Catholic administrators, but not a Catholic, understood as “universal,” healthcare system available to all. This is a scandal and places heavy emotional and financial burdens on many families who need to pay the healthcare costs of sick loved ones. The Church teaches the principles of ordinary and extraordinary care, with only the former being morally obligatory. Extraordinary care, that involving excessive burden or cost may be foregone. Many families and healthcare professionals are uncertain about these principles and their application in practice. It would be helpful to more widely disseminate the Catholic Church teaching regarding ordinary and extraordinary care, especially in poor countries, to also avoid unnecessary or futile treatments, especially in critical or end-of-life situations.

Lay Summary: The poor have limited access to health care in many countries. Even one episode of sickness often places the patient and their family under considerable financial strain. Many times they simply cannot afford even basic treatments. This is a scandal and an injustice which is the concern of us all. The Church teaches that when a treatment becomes very expensive it may be considered “extraordinary care” and not morally obligatory. It would be helpful to more widely disseminate this Catholic Church teaching, helping families to avoid unnecessary treatments especially in critical or end-of-life situations.