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Fred Rosner, MD
Queens Hospital Center Affiliation of the Long Island Jewish Medical Center Jamaica, NY

JAMA. 1989;261(15):2199.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

In Reply.—

Dr Shalit totally missed the point of my letter concerning the physician's obligation to treat patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. I was objecting to physicians who refuse to care for patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The mandate in Judaism for the physician to heal extends to all patients irrespective of their age, sex, race, creed, disease, or lifestyle. Compassion, empathy, and concern for patients on the part of the physician are required in Jewish law.¹

Dr Shalit is mistaken when he states that homosexual orientation is a "G-d— given characteristic." Judaism views homosexuality as a mental illness no different than drug addiction, transvestism, depression, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or compulsive gambling.² Jews who engage in such activities or suffer such symptoms are considered as full-fledged Jews. They should be counseled and treated and be the concern of outreach and proper education. G-d cherishes the life of every human . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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