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Related Experiment Videos

Conscientious refusal and a doctors's right to quit.

John K Davis1

  • 1Department of Medical Humanities, The Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858-4354, USA. davisjoh@mail.ecu.edu

The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy
|September 29, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Doctors can refuse procedures if it doesn't harm patients. This principle guides referral duties, moral counseling, and obligations when no other options exist, impacting medical ethics and practice.

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Area of Science:

  • Medical Ethics
  • Bioethics
  • Professional Responsibility

Background:

  • Physicians encounter patient requests for procedures they deem morally objectionable.
  • The ethical permissibility of a physician's conscientious refusal is a complex issue in medical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the ethical justification for a doctor's conscientious refusal of patient procedures.
  • To establish ethical guidelines for physicians regarding morally objectionable medical interventions.

Main Methods:

  • Philosophical argumentation and ethical analysis.
  • Examination of patient welfare and physician autonomy.
  • Derivation of practical implications for medical practice.

Main Results:

Keywords:
Analytical ApproachBioethics and Professional EthicsProfessional Patient Relationship

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  • Conscientious refusal is ethically justified only if the patient is not disadvantaged compared to seeking care elsewhere.
  • Physicians have a duty to refer or facilitate transfer of care.
  • The moral consensus among physicians is relevant but not determinative of ethical acceptability.

Conclusions:

  • Physicians' right to conscientious refusal is conditional on patient non-harm.
  • Clear guidelines are established for referral, moral counseling, and care provision in challenging ethical scenarios.
  • Physicians must consider the implications of their field choice on their moral obligations.