[Conscientious objection in the clinical setting. A proposal for its appropriate use]

Social changes and new technologies have brought new problems in doctor-patient relationships. In many clinical contexts conscientious objection is misused, with negative effects for patients, healthcare professionals and institutions. The paper aims to clarify what conscientious objection means in a plural society based on a deliberative democracy and to show the different ways of understanding this society in order to respect both the ethical reasons of individuals and the compulsory normative framework of the Rule of Law. Furthermore, the paper identifies some clinical settings where conscientious objection is often invoked by healthcare professionals, and points out and analyses the arguments that explain why this appeal for conscientious objection is neither legitimate nor correct. Finally, it provides examples of the legal basis and Spanish jurisprudence, as well as the relevant clinical and ethical literature on this topic.