In November 2025, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops voted to approve a new 7th Edition of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services. In this episode, Dan and Tom talk with Nathaniel Blanton Hibner, Ph.D., Senior Director of Ethics at the Catholic Health Association, who discusses the process by which this edition was developed over the past four years.
In November 2025, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops voted to approve a new 7th Edition of the Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services. In this episode, Dan and Tom talk with Nathaniel Blanton Hibner, Ph.D., Senior Director of Ethics at the Catholic Health Association, who discusses the process by which this edition was developed over the past four years.
Following the interview, Dan and Tom provide their analysis of the new text, first exploring what they see as the four "under the radar" developments. They then turn to the four significant developments of the 7th edition, with special attention to the new directives on care for patients experiencing gender dysphoria.
Links to the documents and articles noted in the podcast can be found below:
The Ethical and Religious Directors for Catholic Health Care Services
National Institute on Aging, "What Are Palliative Care and Hospice Care?" (2021)
Ron Hamel, "Ethics - Palliative Care - Stealth Euthanasia?", Health Progress (January-February 2014)