Rethinking Conscientious Objection in Health CareUdo Schuklenk Julian Savulescu Alberto Giubilini Francesca MinervaLabel: Oxford University Press IncDescription: Societies around the world are becoming increasingly multicultural while the range of new or controversial medical procedures that are available to patients also grows. This has led to an increase in claims from healthcare professionals regarding their right to abide by their own moral or religious views and refuse a long list medical interventions or drugs. This list includes abortions euthanasia access to contraceptives sterilizations cosmetic surgery and many others. Depending on circumstances these interventions might or might not be consistent with professional standards; however when deciding whether to provide them many doctors would rely on their own conscientious views about the morality of each case instead of professional standards. As societies become more pluralistic and the range of medical options continues to grow it is inevitable that the problem of conscientious objection in healthcare will as well.Rethinking Conscientious Objection in Health Care presents the case against the right of healthcare professionals to refuse delivery of certain healthcare services based on their moral views. It provides philosophical analyses of conscience and freedom of conscience as well as the arguments and principles typically utilized when arguing in favor of allowing healthcare professionals conscientious objection. The authors criticize those arguments and offer a philosophical and historical analysis of the concept of professionalism as well as an appeal to the nature of professional obligations to build their case against the right to conscientious objection in healthcare. They explain why arguments for pluralism tolerance and diversity which support a right to freedom of conscience in society at large do not necessarily support the same right within the healthcare profession or indeed any profession that is governed by internal norms of professionalism which an individual freely decides to enter.
