New Survey Of Physician Views On Conscientious Objection

Today's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine carries a special article titled Religion, Conscience, and Controversial Clinical Practices. It reports on a survey of 1144 practicing U.S. physicians regarding their views on situations in which patients request a legal medical procedure to which the physician objects on moral grounds. The study concluded that "most physicians believe that it is ethically permissible for doctors to explain their moral objections to patients (63%). Most also believe that physicians are obligated to present all options (86%) and to refer the patient to another clinician who does not object to the requested procedure (71%).... [However] many physicians do not consider themselves obligated to disclose information about or refer patients for legal but morally controversial medical procedures. Patients who want information about and access to such procedures may need to inquire proactively to determine whether their physicians would accommodate such requests." Today's Chicago Tribune reports on the study.