Protection of Conscience Project
Protection of Conscience Project
www.consciencelaws.org
Service, not Servitude

Service, not Servitude

2005-2009

2009

Nurse forced to assist in late term abortion
Cenzon-DeCarlo v. The Mount Sinai Hospital

(New York, NY, USA: May, 2009)
ADF | Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund filed suit on behalf of Catherina Cenzon-DeCarlo, a nurse who was forced to assist in the abortion of a 22-week-old preborn child despite her longstanding religious objections. . .continue reading

2008

Medical student charged by professor with "abandonment" for no abortion referral
(USA: 2008)
Freedom2Care.org | Brief examples that demonstrate the often subtle, sometimes flagrant and increasingly pervasive discrimination faced by pro-life, faith-based and conscience-driven individuals in the healthcare professions. . .continue reading
Family medicine physician forced out over contraceptives for unmarried patients
(USA: 2008)
Freedom2Care.org | Brief examples that demonstrate the often subtle, sometimes flagrant and increasingly pervasive discrimination faced by pro-life, faith-based and conscience-driven individuals in the healthcare professions. . .continue reading
Medical student afraid to pursue Ob-Gyn career due to abortion pressure
(USA: 2008)
Freedom2Care.org | Brief examples that demonstrate the often subtle, sometimes flagrant and increasingly pervasive discrimination faced by pro-life, faith-based and conscience-driven individuals in the healthcare professions. . .continue reading
State of Victoria, Australia demands referral, performance of abortions
Abortion Law Reform Act 2008
(Australia: October, 2008)
Sean Murphy | The Abortion Law Reform Act 2008 legalized abortion in the State of Victoria, Australia.  It demands that physicians who object to abortion for reasons of conscience refer a woman to a colleague who has no such objections in order to facilitate the procedure, and requires physicians to perform abortions if necessary "to preserve the life of the pregnant woman." . . continue reading
Oxford Division Motion for British Medical Association
(United Kingdom: July, 2008)
Sean Murphy |A motion considered at the annual general meeting of the British Medical Association would have compelled physicians who object to abortion for reasons of conscience to facilitate the procedure by referring patients to more willing colleagues.  The motion failed by a narrow margin. . .continue reading

2007

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists continues attacks on freedom of conscience
The Limits of Conscientious Refusal in Reproductive Medicine
ACOG Committee on Ethics Opinion No. 385
(USA: November, 2007)
Sean Murphy | . . . Perhaps recognizing that a 2005 letter had failed to make an ethical case for mandatory referral, the ACOG Committee on Ethics released an opinion in November, 2007 that purported to do so. The opinion, particularly when read in conjunction with a new bulletin from the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ABOG), poses a significant threat to freedom of conscience for American physicians specializing in obstetrics and gynaecology. . . continue reading
Assisted suicide bills require objectors to facilitate assisted suicide
(Wisconsin, USA: April, 2007)
Sean Murphy | Two assisted sucide bills lack protection of conscience clauses.  On the contrary: an objecting physician would be required to initiate transfer the patient to a willing colleague. . .continue reading

2006

Nurse practitioner terminated over abortion referral
(USA: 2006)
Freedom2Care.org | Brief examples that demonstrate the often subtle, sometimes flagrant and increasingly pervasive discrimination faced by pro-life, faith-based and conscience-driven individuals in the healthcare professions. . .continue reading

2005

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Demands Compulsory Referral for Abortion
Letter to American Senators from the President of the ACOG
(USA: August, 2005)
Sean Murphy | A letter from the President of the ACOG to US Senators included a number of statements concerning matters unrelated to freedom of conscience, but also asked that lawmakers force conscientious objectors to abortion to facilitate the procedure by referral.  The ACOG was unable or unwilling to explain the ethical basis for its demand. . .continue reading
Philippines bill launches attack on freedom of conscience
House Bill 3773 would punish conscientious objection with imprisonment
(Philippines: April, 2005)
CFAM | . . .the bill requires all employers, not excluding the Catholic Church, to provide free of charge, "reproductive health care services and devices to the workers" [including] voluntary sterilization  [and] prohibits persons "to act from conscience" because it threatens up to six months imprisonment for "any health care service provider who shall . . . refuse to perform voluntary sterilization and ligation" . . .continue reading
Draft Code of Ethics for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians
Ontario College of Pharmacists
(Ontario, Canada: March, 2005)
Sean Murphy| Concerned pharmacists who would have objected to a provision in a draft code of ethics adverse to freedom of conscience were unaware that the regulator was contemplating it and were not consulted about it. Similarly, igroups representing the interests of religious believers who might be adversely impacted by the recommendation were not notified or consulted. . .  continue reading
Missouri Senate Bill 458 Threatens Pharmacists
(Missouri, USA: February, 2005)
SB458 | Bill would impose a duty on objecting pharmacists to dispense prescriptions if not accommodated by an employer . . . continue reading
New Jersey Senators Attack Freedom of Conscience for Pharmacists
(New Jersey, USA: January, 2005)
Senate No. 2178 | Bill prohibits pharmacist from refusing to dispense medication solely for philosophical, moral or religious reasons . . .continue reading