A doctor has decided to discriminate against a baby, refusing to treat the child because the doctor dislikes the infant’s parents. Doctor Vesna Roi said she will not treat the infant, named Bay Contreras, because Dr. Roi said she did not feel as though she would be able to develop a strong relationship with the baby’s parents.
Dr. Roi wrote the Contrerases a letter, which stated, “After much prayer following your prenatal, I felt that I would not be able to develop the personal patient doctor relationship that I normally do with my patients.” Dr. Roi did not mention, in the letter, the exact reason for her aversion to the baby’s parents, but she sent another doctor in her place to care for Bay, due to her discriminatory practices.
It has been suggested in other news outlets that Dr. Roi decided to discriminate against baby Bay because the Contrerases are both women. It seems that Michigan law allows for such biased practices, and the Contrerases have no legal recourse against Dr. Roi.
The case has sparked outrage on social media with many calling for Dr. Roi’s resignation, however, she has not commented to the media on the incident, and remains in practice, free to refuse care to infants based on whether or not she likes the baby’s parents.
While she may have not violated Michigan anti-discrimination laws, she has broken almost all of the tenants contained in the basic oath taken by all physicians, the Hippocratic oath, specifically the following sections:
With regard to healing the sick…I will take care that they suffer no hurt or damage…my visit shall be for the convenience and advantage of the patient; and I will willingly refrain from doing any injury or wrong from falsehood…Whatever, in the course of my practice, I may see or hear (even when not invited), whatever I may happen to obtain knowledge of, if it be not proper to repeat it, I will keep sacred and secret within my own breast.
Dr. Roi violated all of these sworn duties when she refused to care for baby Bay, and caused direct harm to the Contrerases by treating them as second class citizens. They described feeling “humiliated” and “embarrassed” by Dr. Roi’s discrimination against their baby.
The American Medical Association has officially noted that Dr. Roi’s actions were in violation of medical ethics. They issued a statement on the case, saying, “Respecting the diversity of patients is a fundamental value of the medical profession and reflected in long-standing AMA ethical policy opposing any refusal to care for patients based on race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other criteria that would constitute invidious discrimination.”
Many are now calling for the laws to be changed so that doctors will not be allowed to discriminate against any baby due to dislike of the child’s parents. As of now, Dr. Roi is still enjoying a thriving practice despite the backlash against her from thousands of concerned citizens. She has refused to comment on her decision, citing preventative HIPAA laws.