Questionable benefits and unavoidable personal beliefs: defending conscientious objection for abortion

• Published in: Journal of medical ethics Vol. 46; no. 3; pp. 178 - 182
• Main Authors: Blackshaw, Bruce Philip, Rodger, Daniel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group LTD 01.03.2020
• Subjects: Abortion; Bioethics; Childbirth & labor; Medical ethics; Mental health; Mortality; Patients; Physicians; Pregnancy; Rape; Womens health; United Kingdom > UK; codes of/position statements on professional ethics; reproductive medicine; abortion; conscientious objection; clinical ethics

Conscientious objection in healthcare has come under heavy criticism on two grounds recently, particularly regarding abortion provision. First, critics claim conscientious objection involves a refusal to provide a legal and beneficial procedure requested by a patient, denying them access to healthca...