The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a strong call for Duke University to engage in a thorough investigation regarding serious allegations of systemic racial discrimination within its health operations. This demand highlights the urgency for Duke University School of Medicine and Duke Health to address these issues, as outlined in a joint letter from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
The commissioners are emphasizing that any discrimination based on race, as outlined in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, is illegal, especially for organizations receiving federal funding. The letter stresses the need for Duke to create a Merit and Civil Rights Committee to work alongside federal agencies to ensure compliance with civil rights laws and to promote merit-based standards in medical education and training at Duke Health.
Secretary Kennedy stated that federal funding should bolster standards of excellence rather than be swayed by racial considerations. Similarly, Secretary McMahon expressed pride in collaborating with Kennedy to reinforce that educational institutions like Duke must uphold integrity and legality in their admissions processes, without engaging in practices that favor applicants based on immutable characteristics.
Duke University has been given ten business days to respond to this request, which is separate from any ongoing or future investigations by HHS. Notably, the Duke University Health System, along with its affiliated programs, falls under the scrutiny of HHS to ensure compliance with civil rights laws.
In total, the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has initiated several investigations of entities, including hospitals and medical schools, to uphold merit-based opportunities, reflecting a broader national policy aimed at enforcing civil rights laws and combating illegal discrimination practices. This comes in light of Executive Order 14173, which seeks to eliminate illegal discrimination while enhancing merit-based opportunities across federal programs.
Overall, the actions from HHS underscore a significant shift towards accountability and transparency in educational and healthcare settings, prioritizing fairness and adherence to civil rights. The collaborative approach requested from Duke Health represents an opportunity for the institution to affirm its commitment to equality and excellence in its operations.