Farr A Curlin, Ryan E Lawrence, John D Lantos
Extract
Those who act conscientiously do not “disavow responsibility” and “substitute their personal values for the fundamental rights of their patients.” Rather, they are engaging in the struggle to know and do the right thing and to understand and fulfill their moral obligations in a particular situation. This task cannot be externalized or delegated. Indeed, acting conscientiously is the heart of the ethical life, and to the extent that physicians give it up, they are no longer acting as moral agents.
Curlin FA, Lawrence RE, Lantos JD. (Correspondence) Religion, Conscience and Controversial Clinical Practices (Authors respond). N. Engl. J. Med.. 2007;356(18):1891-1892.