The scope and limits of conscientious objection

Principles of religious freedom protect physicians, nurses and others who r efuse participation in medical procedures to which they hold conscientious objections. However, they cannot decline participation in procedures to sav e life or continuing health. Physicians who refuse to perform procedures on religious grounds must refer their patients to non-objecting practitioners . When physicians refuse to accept applicants as patients for procedures to which they object, governmental healthcare administrators must ensure that non-objecting providers are reasonably accessible. Nurses' conscientious o bjections to participate directly in procedures they find religiously offen sive should be accommodated, but nurses cannot object to giving patients in direct aid. Medical and nursing students cannot object to be educated about procedures in which they would not participate, but may object to having t o perform them under supervision. Hospitals cannot usually claim an institu tional conscientious objection, nor discriminate against potential staff ap plicants who would not object to participation in particular procedures. (C ) 2000 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. All rights re served.