2015-2019
Examining the thorny moral problem of foetal reduction
Michael Cook |
It is a truth universally acknowledged that defending an opinion on abortion will make at least half of one’s readers unhappy. But Joona Räsänen, a Finnish bioethicist at the University of Oslo, defends an opinion on abortion in the Journal of Medical Ethics which is bound to make all of them unhappy.. . .
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Distinguishing between elective abortions and other medical interventions
Sean Murphy | It is often thought that "termination of pregnancy" is simply a euphemism for abortion. While that may often be the case, two news releases issued in the fall of 2019 (below) demonstrate that "termination of pregnancy" can also be understood as a separation of an infant or foetus
in utero from the mother (thus terminating the pregnancy) with the intention of saving the life of the mother, even if the life of the infant/foetus cannot be saved. It appears that all of the organizations involved agree that abortion/termination of pregnancy can be justified for this reason. . .
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Draft Irish Abortion Law: Protection of Conscience
Houses of the Oireachtas (Tithe an Oireachtais) Debates-December, 2018
2010-2014
Nurse describes 22 week old abortion survivor dying in clinical waste
room
Caren Ní hAllacháin | "I was an
agency nurse in Sydney Australia in the early 90s and I was on a ward
one night when a woman had come in for an abortion. She was 22 weeks
pregnant and had been told her baby had a chromosomal abnormality. I
went into the sluice room and I saw the baby, a 22 week old baby boy, in
a kidney dish in at the sink where all the clinical waste was flushed.
He was small but he was perfect. You could see his toes, his hands, he
seemed like he had blond hair. He was the full size of the kidney dish
and he was alive. I could see the rise and fall of his chest, he was
breathing." . . .
Video
Objecting nurse describes coerced participation in abortion
Cathy Cenzon-Decarlo | A
nurse formerly employed at Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York describes
being coerced to participate in abortion. The story illustrates the need
for protection of conscience legislation and policies as well as the
kind of experience that can cause health care workers to refuse to
participate in abortion for reasons of conscience. . . .
Video
Anti-conscientious objection article in Irish Times very misleading
Dr. Angelo Bottone
| In March, 2017, the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations
criticized Italy for failing to provide adequate access to abortion,
citing high rates of conscientious objection by physicians as a
"barrier" to access. News articles appearing earlier in the month
made or referred to the same kind of claim [
Mirage News,
The Daily Beast,
Crux]. The
Irish Times
column to which Dr. Bottone refers, appearing at the end of May,
repeated the claims, apparently for the purpose of persuading Irish
readers that the law or state policy should override the freedom of
conscience and religion by compelling participation in abortion.
Dr. Bottone uses Italian language sources to effectively counter the
claims made by abortion advocates. . . .
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Abortion in "rural" British Columbia
Researchers include city of 85,000 as part of "rural" B.C.
Sean Murphy
| Two recent research papers based on a 2011 survey of physicians
providing abortion in British Columbia assert that "rural abortion
services are disappearing in Canada." However, what the papers
contribute to an understanding of the "barriers" to abortion services in
rural British Columbia is doubtful, for two reasons. First: the
analytical structure proposed (the urban-rural dichotomy as defined by
the authors) is inadequate. Second: the authors ignore the significance
of an important variable: the nature of the facilities or institutions
where abortions are performed. . .
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Draft Irish Abortion Law: Protection of Conscience
Testimony before the Joint Committee on Health and Children
Houses of the Oireachtas (Tithe an Oireachtais)
Dublin, Ireland 17-21 May, 2013
Policy: Overview of Head of Bill
Regulatory and Representative Bodies
Obstetric Care Facilities: Larger Hospitals
Obstetric Care Facilities: Smaller Hospitals
Psychiatry and Perinatal Psychiatrists
Psychiatry
Medical Law
Constitutional Law
Medical Ethics
A "medical misadventure" in Ireland: Deaths of Savita & Prasa Halappanavar
(Galway, Ireland: 21-28 October, 2012)
Sean Murphy|
Savita Halappanavar was a 31 year old woman who was 17 weeks pregnant
when she presented at the University Hospital, Galway. . . with
a miscarriage. She spontaneously delivered a stillborn daughter,
Prasa, on the afternoon of 24 October, and died from sepsis early on 28
October. The circumstances of her death generated a hurricane of
controversy in Ireland and around the world about Irish abortion law.
A coroner's inquest held in Galway in April, 2013 resulted in the
classification of Savita's death as a "medical misadventure." . . .
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Abortion and Prince Edward Island: Group encourages complaints against
objecting physicians
(Canada: November, 2011)
Sean Murphy
| . . .The attempt to characterize the exercise of freedom
of conscience by physicians as 'professional misconduct' may surprise
Islanders who remember the promises made when abortion was legalized in
Canada over forty years ago. . .
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Clarifying the Clarification:
College of Physicians and Surgeons of
Saskatchewan
Guideline on Unplanned Pregnancy
(Canada: February, 2011)
Sean Murphy
| . . . physicians who object to abortion for reasons
of conscience - whether globally or, like Dr. Morgentaler, selectively - can
hardly be disciplined for failing to adhere to ambiguous directives or
guidelines. . .
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Doctors under pressure as abortion demand goes up
(Viet Nam: March, 2010)
Than Nien
News | . . .The psychological trauma faced by doctors could
emerge as an important issue with the rapidly increasing number of people
seeking to have abortions. . .
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2000-2004
Alarmed by freedom of conscience
(UN,
Geneva,Switzerland: November, 2004)
The United Nations Human Rights Committee has told Poland to
"liberalize its legislation and practice on abortion," and has also
complained about the lack of information available about conscientious
objection to abortion by physicians, which, it seems, the Committee
finds unacceptable. . . .
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Are Pro-Life Healthcare Providers Becoming an Endangered Species?
(USA.
2003)
Nancy Valko, RN
| . . . Slowly but surely, more and more pro-life doctors,
nurses and other healthcare professionals are getting the message that they
and their views are unwelcome in today's health care system. But these
public items tell only a small part of the story. Intimidation, harassment
and coercion are becoming increasingly common as pro-life health care
providers try to advocate for both their patients and their professional
ethics. . .
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Medical Students for Choice: Pro-choice group at UBC
(Canada: October, 2002)
Greg J. Edwards
| . . .one might conclude that any journalist who is
granted an interview with MSFC spokesmen must be a parrot for its cause:
near-mandatory, if not mandatory, abortion training in medical schools. . .
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Accommodating Conscience
(Canada: October, 2002)
Greg J. Edwards
| . . .a recent contract cancellation at B.C. Women's Hospital, as well as
developments in other provinces, raises doubt as to whether nurses do in
fact enjoy unfettered freedoms of conscience and religion. . . Nurses get
apprehensive when asked whether they do. . .
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No Place for Abortion in African Traditional Life - Some Reflections
(Uganda, 2002)
Fr. Bonaventure Turyomumazima
| . . .I wish, however, to approach the rest of the reflections from
the point of view of what I may call pre-Christianity African
religious beliefs and practices on the subject of abortion. My stand
is that there is no place for abortion even in pre-Christianity
African tradition. . .
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Canadian International Aid Tied to Abortion, Charges Doctor
(East Timor, 2002)
CFAM | ". . . we tried to establish essential obstetrical
care in East Timor, where there are no obstetricians. It was made clear to
us by the UN that we were not welcome unless we were prepared to provide
reproductive health care, which is abortion, the morning after pill,
sterilization, etc. Of course, we refused, so the UN has blocked our
participation." . . .
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General practice docs, obstetrics and palliative care
(Canada: September, 2002)
Greg J. Edwards
|. . .in spite of their rights being recognized, many
doctors don't want to publicize their views, especially in the press, where
their views are often distorted and sensationalized. They prefer to make "no
comment." Or they speak "on background only." They want to remain anonymous.
They fear the wrath of a profession and a society that have accepted
abortion as ordinary and artificial birth control as natural. . .
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A national battle over healthcare ethics threatens to put any
conscience-guided Doctor in the Lions' Den
(USA, 2001)
Jonathan Imbody | . . .According to Peter
Hildering, M.D., a family physician and leader of
the Dutch Physicians Guild, Dutch Christian
physicians and medical students find themselves in
the "lions' den" of medical ethics challenges.
Hildering says that his organization is receiving
reports of discrimination against Christian
physicians who buck a healthcare system that
aggressively advances abortion and euthanasia. . .
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The Obstetric-Gynaecological Practice in the Czech Republic during the
Communist Regime and in the Present Days (1980-2001)
Miloslav Nesyba
...The abortions could have been done only in
hospitals, the doctor-gynaecologist was forced to and had to perform them,
if he/she had refused, they had to leave the field in which they worked and
had to go to another one or to an ambulatory department where their duties
were to fill in applications for abortion. . . The change of the political
system brought a great change in the work of doctors- gynaecologists. No
doctor is forced to perform abortions or has to be involved . . .
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MD's, Pharmacists should follow conscience
(Canada: June 2001)
Laureen McMahon | Canadian Physicians for Life have strongly rejected a statement from
Planned Parenthood in Alberta that pro-life doctors who don't wish to do
abortions are obliged to refer patients to their colleagues for the
procedure. . . .
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Chinese hospital workers divided over attempts to kill abortion survivor
(Heilongjiang province, China: April-May 2001)
Sean Murphy
| . . . significant official pressure was brought to bear on medical
staff to force them to act contrary to their conscientious
convictions in furtherance of state policy. . . it would not be
surprising if the incident . . . caused some of the medical staff to
modify their views about abortion, suggesting the likelihood of
further conflicts of conscience. . .This also occurs in western
democracies . . . and the same question arises in both the east and
west; will those health care workers be forced out of their
professions? . . .
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Pro-life OB-GYNs Left Out in the Cold: MaterCare Founder Robert Walley
Hopes to Change That
(May, 2001)
Zenit | ". . . It is clear to us that there
is discrimination against Catholic and pro-life
doctors in many countries who wish to specialize but
who refuse to participate in abortion or birth
control. They are coming under a lot of pressure to
compromise and this has serious consequences. . . "
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Conscientious Objection to Abortion
(United Kingdom, 2001)
Helen Barratt
| . . . It is increasingly difficult for Christian doctors to enter careers in
certain specialties and there is substantial evidence of discrimination. A
CMF survey of 1405 doctors revealed that 14% of doctors felt they had been
discriminated against because of their abortion views. Four thought they had
been refused jobs whilst five members had had to change jobs or even
specialties. . .
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Conscientious Objection in Ireland
(May, 2000)
Testimony | ". . .the people who would be asked to
carry out the terminations of pregnancy are the gynaecologists in this
country, and as I've mentioned already, you know, for religious, moral and
ethical reasons most of my colleagues would be extremely unhappy to be asked
to do so. In fact most, I am sure, would not do it. . ."
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United Nations, US officials acting oppressively in East Timor
(East
Timor: 2000)
Sean Murphy
| ". . .I met with officials at WHO and CNRT, the latter headed by US
officials, and was struck by how aggressive they were in imposing their
views and their values on the people. The Timorese doctors I met felt
themselves oppressed, and expressed concern about the secretive nature of
the activities of WHO and the CNRT committee. . . "
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Life Support, Anyone? Pro-Life Physician Answers the Challenge
(Los
Angeles, California: 1999-2000)
Katherine Schlaerth | . . . I objected to this
commandeering of a nurse who clearly felt uncomfortable assisting at an
abortion . . .
After that occurrence, I found that my fellow
physicians in our department were distancing
themselves from me, even those who claimed to be
"pro-life." Everyone was afraid that a show of
support would put jobs in jeopardy. . .
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1995-1999
Abortion and Conscientious Objection
(United Kingdom, 1999)
Peter Saunders
| A third of junior doctors are refusing on moral grounds to perform
abortions according to a study conducted by the Abortion Law Reform
Association (ALRA). In
some NHS hospitals all juniors have exercised their right to conscientious
objection under the 1968 Abortion Act. . .
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A New Low in Heartlessness:
Born alive, left to die
(Chicago, Illinois: 1999)
Dennis Byrne | . . . One hospital nurse has complained that babies are
sometimes are left to struggle on their own for up six or seven hours until
death frees them from their torment. . . She said a newborn, with no one
around to hold it, once was left to die in a soiled linen closet--a charge
the hospital denies. . .
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Court orders abortion, sterilization
(Province of Quebec, Canada: 1999)
Sean Murphy
| In July, 1999, Quebec Superior Court Judge Paul Vezina ordered
that Cassandre Lavoie have a second trimester abortion and tubal
ligation. Lavoie, who was mentally ill, had been a ward of the
province of Quebec for five years. Evidence received by the court
was that she was not capable of requesting or consenting to the
procedures. . .
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United Nations Committee:
Conscientious Objection "an infringement of. .
. rights"
(August, 1997)
UN Committee Report | . . .the Committee is . . .
concerned about information regarding the refusal, by some hospitals, to
provide abortions on the basis of conscientious objection of doctors. The
Committee considers this to be an infringement of women's reproductive
rights. . .
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Bishop protests on behalf of nurses
(Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada:1997)
Sean Murphy
| . . . Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Thunder Bay
controversy was the case of the single nurse . . . who had been a
peri-operative nurse for eleven years, [who]suffered such intense
"physical and emotional anxiety" as a result of her exposure to
abortions . . .that she was referred to the Employee Assistance
programme. . .
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Are State Doctors in the Western Cape willing to implement the Choice of
Termination of Pregnancy Act of 1996?
(South Africa: November, 1997)
H.R.G. Ward B.Sc.(Med) | . . . In 1994, Dooley warned that prior to a country
drafting abortion legislation, a prudent government
will consider in advance how it will find enough
health care professionals who will in good
conscience assist in abortions. In too many
countries a law permits abortion and requires health professionals
to implement the law but little or no attention has been given the
basic principle of respecting conscientious refusal. This issue was
raised again in the South African parliamentary public hearings in
October 1996.
It appears to have gone unheeded and the current
unsatisfactory situation continues to exist. . .
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South Africa Changes Abortion Law: Warnings Ignored (1996-97)
H.R.G. Ward B.Sc.(Med) |. . .The possible imprisonment of any person including
vital service personnel, found guilty of "obstructing or failing to refer a
woman eligible for an abortion" exposes a deplorable Nazi style attitude to
people of conscience. To expect complicity of this nature is like in the
words of Dr.Charles Oettle ordering a man who does not believe in the death
penalty to blindfold the prisoner and load the rifles for the firing squad.
. .
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Abortion and Conscientious Objection
(United Kingdom: 1996)
Peter Saunders
| . . . In my work among medical students, I am frequently
asked about the practicalities of conscientious objection. The vast majority
of students are not asking whether abortion is right and wrong. Rather they
are asking: 'Given that abortion is wrong, how should I handle the
situations where pressure is being put upon me to participate?' . . .
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