Some Reflections on Conscience (Conscience in Medicine)

Rosalind Ekman Ladd

The American Journal of Bioethics
The American Journal of Bioethics

Extract
The first way to avoid the problems that conscience raises is. . . that physicians and others be required to tell patients what areas of practice would be against their conscience. A second way is not to license physicians, pharmacists or others who will refuse to involve themselves in certain areas of medicine because of conscience. Because the practice of medicine (and pharmacy, etc.) is a social role and society already exercises some control over who may legally perform these roles, adding requirements is not such a radical idea.


Ladd RE. Some Reflections on Conscience (Conscience in Medicine). Am J Bioeth. 2007;7(12):32-33.