AnnouncementAccording to Consumers' Research, clinic staff “prioritize care based on skin color, change the gender of children, promote transgender awareness among vulnerable children, and implement DEI.” [diversity, equity, and inclusion] in everything they do and spend millions on climate activism.”
The organization also took advantage of the verdict in 2023 statement from the clinic's CEO, Tom Mihalewicz, MD, in which he said that “providing high-quality health care is just part of our mission.” Consumer Research said Mihaljevic's statement is evidence that “the Cleveland Clinic is prioritizing woke policies over patients.”
The 30-second ad, titled “Expose,” is reported to be running on mobile billboards at the Ohio State Capitol building, the Cleveland Clinic main campus in Cleveland and the Florida State Capitol building. in accordance with Fox Newswhich also said the ad was scheduled to air during the Cleveland Cavaliers' basketball game against the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.
In a statement sent by email MedPage todayWhen asked about the ad, the clinic responded: “Consumers' Research's recent advertising campaign is riddled with inaccuracies and lies. For example, Cleveland Clinic does not perform gender confirmation surgery on patients under 18 years of age. For more than 100 years, Cleveland Clinic's mission has been caring for life, health research and educating those who serve,” referring to its function as a teaching hospital.
“We do not discriminate or create preferences based on race, gender or any other characteristic, and we comply with ethical and legal standards of care,” the statement said. “Cleveland Clinic is a nonpartisan organization and we do not have or promote a political agenda.”
A clinic spokesperson said it would not comment further. When asked how other health systems might respond to similar attacks if they become more common, the clinic did not respond.
In a statement, Will Hild, executive director of Consumers' Research, said that “The Cleveland Clinic must change course, avoid woke radicalism, stop wasting resources in the wrong places, and make affordable, quality health care its sole goal.”
Consumers' Research's website says the organization “was founded in 1929 with the mission to educate and protect consumers from harmful products” but has evolved over time “to become a broader consumer advocacy organization focused on informing consumers about the policies, products and services that concern them, and encouraging freedom to act based on that knowledge and understanding.”
Across the country, some hospitals have responded to President Trump's executive orders elimination of DEI And financing of services or acceptance of transgender sexual identity.
Another decree dated January 20 ordered all departments to:cancel immediately“Federal documents addressing transgender equality, intersex students, transgender youth, anti-LGBTQI+ harassment in schools and other issues as new administration only recognizes gender with which a person was born.
The American Hospital Association (AHA) was asked whether the current administration's policies and attempts to protect certain federally supported programs could encourage attacks on other health care facilities across the country. The AHA did not respond.
However, some health organizations have removed from their websites some references to some of the programs that the current administration opposes.
For example, National Jewish Health in Denver is reported to ended diversity, equity and inclusion efforts earlier this month in response to threats from Trump.
According to New York TimesSome veterans' hospital staff were they told me to take it off any display of LGBTQ flags.
It is also reported that Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Tennessee remote on its website and social media, any mention of DEI.
Chris Van Gorder, president and CEO of Scripps Health in San Diego, said his system has not deviated from its previous policies and has not suffered any attacks. “We have no plans to change anything we do or have done. We are an organization that prides itself on being a high quality, ethical and law-abiding organization and plan to continue that history and legacy,” he said.
