“A health-care reform based on ethical criteria”: that is what Cardinal Karl Lehmann, president of the German Episcopal Conference, intends to propose at a press conference due to be held at the Catholic Academy of Berlin on 4 June. “The German health-care system says a press release put out by the Conference of German bishops is now faced by great challenges: economic constraints make its reform urgently needed, but, on the other hand, headlines such as the demolition of the welfare state or second-class medicine transmit a sense of insecurity to many people”. So that “a high standard of care may be provided to all patients also in future”, maintain the German bishops, “and so that the financial burdens be fairly distributed, the health-care reform must be guided by ethical criteria”. That’s why, under the responsibility of its Commission for social problems and Caritas Commission, the Bishops’ Conference has decided to publish a series of guidelines, to ensure that “a health service characterised by solidarity be possible” also in future”.
