Are Physicians Free?

For about 2500 years new physicians have been swearing to uphold a number of ethical standards in the form of the Hippocratic Oath. Among other things, they promise not to do harm, give lethal drugs, perform an abortion, or divulge their patient’s confidences to others. Obviously, a politically incorrect oath!

Therefore, in 1964 the Hippocratic Oath was altered by Louis Lasagna of Tufts University. It now says, “Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.”  In other words, euthanasia and abortion are no longer out of bounds.

But, what about those physicians whose personal convictions and beliefs do not permit them to engage in this type of activity? Are they free to obey their conscience? Are they free to think differently? Or does the patient’s “right to care” outweigh the healthcare provider’s “right to refuse to provide service”?

Practically speaking, yes. Physicians and nurses whose conscience prohibits them from participating in certain acts lose their jobs. Conscience protection clauses are absent in recent healthcare regulations and President Obama is planning on rescinding current protective legislation possibly even this month! Read more below and consider, should physicians, scientists, and engineers only be free to think, or should they also be free to act (or not act) in accord with their thoughts?

For more information, see www.Freedom2care.org