Georgetown College v. Jones

When it comes time to choose a cure for a medical problem, members of faith-healing religions will turn to prayer rather than conventional medicine. These religions believe that faith in the healing power of God, not medical procedures, will heal them.

Over the years, court cases have been brought against those who believe in faith healing to force them to accept medical treatment and procedures, especially if the health of a third party, such as a fetus, is at stake. In the situation where a woman refuses medical treatment that could save the health of her child, the court must weigh the rights of the mother against the unborn child. Court-appointed advocates for the third party contend that the rights of an unborn child must be ensured, even if this means forcing a pregnant woman to undergo unwanted medical treatment.

But those in favor of a patient's right to refuse treatment counter that the Constitution provides a right to privacy and the free exercise of religious beliefs. It would be a breach of the Constitution, proponents say, to make someone undergo conventional medical treatment when that is against the tenets of his religion.