Four Illinois physicians have filed a federal lawsuit challenging parts of the state’s newly effective medical-aid-in-dying law, arguing that its information and referral-related duties force them to take steps that conflict with their Muslim faith.
The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on behalf of Drs. Akbar Ali, Asim Babar, Omar Hussain and Umar Shakur. Their lawyers at the Becket Fund said the doctors seek protection from provisions they interpret as requiring them to discuss medical aid in dying and, in some circumstances, help a patient reach a participating provider. The group’s case statement presents those assertions; state officials have not yet filed a merits response.
The challenge arrives days after the End-of-Life Options for Terminally Ill Patients Act, known as Deb’s Law, took effect Sept. 12. Under the law, an eligible patient must be an Illinois resident at least 18 years old, have decision-making capacity and be diagnosed by two physicians with a terminal illness expected to cause death within six months. The medication must be self-administered, and the patient must make oral and written requests, according to the governor’s official summary.
The statute says no physician, health-care provider or pharmacist is required to prescribe medication or participate in medical aid in dying. It also requires attending physicians to explain feasible end-of-life options, including hospice and palliative care. The plaintiffs contend that the broader information, referral and records-transfer framework still compels conduct they regard as facilitating an act forbidden by their religion.
That distinction is likely to be central to the case. Supporters describe the law as a tightly limited option for mentally capable, terminally ill adults, while opponents argue that conscience protections do not go far enough. The ACLU overview, written in support of the measure, emphasizes patient control and the requirement that the patient—not another person—make the requests and take the medication.
The new filing is not the law’s first court test. Before the Sept. 12 start date, a federal judge declined to block the statute in a separate challenge brought by disability-rights plaintiffs. The earlier ruling allowed implementation to proceed while litigation continued. Catholic plaintiffs have also raised religious-liberty objections in a separate case.
Gov. JB Pritzker signed Deb’s Law in December 2025 after narrow votes in the General Assembly. Illinois became the 12th state to authorize the practice at the time of enactment, according to an AP account. The law directs the Illinois Department of Public Health to collect reports from participating physicians and publish annual statistical summaries without personally identifying information.
The doctors are asking the court to block enforcement of the challenged provisions or declare them unconstitutional as applied to their practices. Until a court orders otherwise, Deb’s Law remains in effect statewide. The litigation will determine whether Illinois may require limited disclosure or facilitation duties from objecting clinicians even while allowing them to refuse direct participation.
