Conscientious Objection by Health Care Professionals

Abstract

Certain health care services and goods, although legal and often generally accepted in a society, are by some considered morally problematic. Debates on conscientious objection in health care try to resolve whether and when physicians, nurses and pharmacists should be allowed to refuse to provide medical services and goods because of their ethical or religious beliefs. These debates have most often focused on issues such as how to balance the interests of patients and health care professionals, and the compatibility of conscientious objection with professional obligations, but it is also possible to think about conscientious objection in terms of how to respond to moral disagreement and the requirements of liberal neutrality.

The truth behind conscientious objection in medicine

“…The latter includes diverse considerations. Sometimes an appeal to toleration of moral diversity is made on political grounds: if one assumes that liberal commitments include the ’principle of state neutrality' with respect to citizens’ views about the good life, one could argue that this principle supports accommodation of conscientious objection, which would protect citizens’ ability to live by their view of the good 9. Indeed, the democratic state itself has an interest in promoting its citizens’ capacity for moral reflection, and guaranteeing a right to freedom of conscience might be a good way to do so 10.…”

Should professional interpreters be able to conscientiously object in healthcare settings?

“…Rather than restricting oneself to purely moral concerns, one can consider conscientious objection to be a sociopolitical and legally established right of non-participation which recognises certain issues as potentially being instances where the personal moral convictions of an individual may come into conflict with their professional duties 6 8 9. In this context, the ideals attendant on the concept of a professional actor are of particular significance.…”

El médico y la objeción de conciencia: Opinión del Departamento de Ética del Colegio Médico de Chile A. G.

“…Cabe señalar que el interés de la sociedad por respetar la OC está definido por la importancia que la comunidad le asigna al respeto de la integridad moral de los individuos que la componen y al derecho a conducir sus vidas de acuerdo a las propias convicciones morales. Esta integridad adquiere especial significado para quienes ejercen la medicina, que tienen asignadas responsabilidades que exigen un nivel de reflexión moral que se vería menoscabado si no se les diera la posibilidad de seguir los dictados de su propia conciencia 5 . La OC es más bien excepcional, si consideramos a todo el cuerpo legal, porque los legisladores intentan plasmar en las leyes el respeto a las valoraciones de toda esa sociedad para la cual las leyes se preparan.…”