John B Shea
Extract
The CMA has the audacity to “place responsibility” on the physician who acts in accordance with his intelligence and informed conscientious judgement in the matter. It is not true to state that a physician abandons a patient if he informs her that his moral principles preclude his becoming involved in referring her for an abortion. No patient has the right to anything other than what a physician can in his conscience do. To ask for more is to ask for his cooperation in performing an act that he deems an act of killing an innocent human being. The CMA, in supporting this type of request, is bringing pressure to bear on the physician to cooperate. By including it in the code of ethics the CMA has also put the physician who does not publicly object in the position of appearing to agree with the CMA. His intellectual and moral integrity are challenged by this action. . . .If the government were to make abortion on demand legal, I have no doubt the CMA would make another change in the code that would “place responsibility” on the physician to cooperate in this also. I find it intolerable that the CMA is telling me I may not follow my conscience in this most serious matter.
Shea JB. (Correspondence) The Code of ethics: abortion referral. Can Med Assoc J. 1978 Apr 22;118(8):890.