Christopher Cowley
Abstract
Most discussions of conscientious objection in healthcare assume that the objection is universal: a doctor objects to all abortions. I want to investigate selective objections, where a doctor objects to one abortion but not to another, depending on the circumstances. I consider not only objections to abortion, but also objections to the withdrawal of life-saving treatment at the request of a competent patient, which is almost always selective. I explore how the objector might articulate the selective objection, and what impact it might have on the patient, within the conceptual space of relevant statutes and professional guidelines.
Cowley C. Selective Conscientious Objection in Healthcare. New Bioethics 2019 Sep; 25(3): 236-247, DOI:10.1080/20502877.2019.1649861.