This course—a joint venture between The National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) and Catholic International University—offers students an introduction to the study of health care ethics from the Roman Catholic perspective. It begins by introducing students to foundational topics in Catholic moral theology including the relationship between faith and reason, the teaching authority of the Catholic Church, the moral principles that govern the patient-professional relationship, and the formation of conscience. It also introduces the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services, the guiding document for Catholic health care in the United States.

Following these foundational elements, the course addresses specific contemporary health care ethics challenges. It begins with the nature and purpose of human sexuality and its implications for both fertility awareness and contraception. It then moves to beginning-of-life issues which include—but are not limited to—determining when human life begins, medical interventions for pregnancy complications (ectopic pregnancy, etc.), interventions for sexual assault, and assisted reproductive technologies. It then explores the philosophical, medical, and ethical challenges posed by gender ideology and “transitioning,” as well as Catholic pastoral and health care responses to it. The course concludes by examining end-of-life challenges including medically assisted nutrition & hydration (feeding tube), assisted suicide & euthanasia, determining death, and organ donation.