Conscientious objection in medical practice

Abstract

For a fair medical practice, healthcare professionals need, in addition to technical expertise, a well-informed moral character based both on personal virtues and on discernment aimed at understanding the real needs of patients. Although respect for autonomy is important, the excessive emphasis on this principle of medical ethics has paradoxically led to the suppression of the physician’s conscience under the pretext of honoring the patient’s autonomy. However, in the doctor–patient relationship, both are moral agents who must collaborate. Overemphasizing the autonomy of one party risks undermining or suppressing the autonomy of the other. Regarding conscientious objection, it is not a retreat into individualism or moral isolation, but rather the responsible application of moral judgment to specific circumstances, informed both by ethical principles and by the virtuous character of the physician.