Last month, Jennifer Bridges, a nurse at the Houston hospital along with 116 other suspended employees sued in federal court. They allege COVID-19 vaccines are still experimental despite the approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use.
The lawsuit argues that vaccine mandates violate the Nuremberg Code of Ethics, created after World War II so that human experiments conducted by the Nazis would not happen again.
Earlier this month, Texas U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes dismissed the employees’ case against the hospital And rejected their argument that staff was being forced to take an experimental vaccine.
“This is not coercion. Methodist is trying to do their business of saving lives without giving them the COVID-19 virus,” Judge Hughes wrote. “It is a choice made to keep staff, patients, and their families safer.”
The Methodist employees then appealed to the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. And with no precedents, the ruling could take some time. It appears it will be a national legal battle involving personal medical freedom versus public health.
Hospital responds to criticism
Dr. Marc Boom, Methodist’s chief executive, issued a statement after the lawsuit was dismissed. He said that because Houston Methodist is the first hospital to require the COVID-19 vaccine they expected some backlash.
