The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill 2007-8
Briefings from the Christian Medical Fellowship
Background
Since 1967 there has been a 'Conscience Clause' in the Abortion Act which states, in Section 4(1): 'Subject to subsection (2) of this section, no person shall be under any duty, whether by contract or by any statutory or other legal requirement, to participate in any treatment authorised by this Act to which he has a conscientious objection….'
Subsection (2) relates to treatment 'necessary to save the life or to prevent grave permanent injury to the physical or mental health of a pregnant woman'.
So, leaving aside life-threatening emergencies or their near equivalent, hands-on health professionals with genuine ethical and moral objections are given a legal right to abstain from involvement in the actual process.
CMF policy
This legal right must be upheld should the Abortion Act be revised.
Who has not got an ideological bias?
However, extremist liberalisers are now seeking to bar these professionals who might want to claim conscientious objection rights from providing information, support, and counselling to women considering whether or not to have an abortion.
They appear not to recognise that they too have personal beliefs, an ideology, a worldview, which inevitably must be a potential source of bias. Professionals have insight into their own motivations, are subject to regulatory bodies and codes of conduct, and are perfectly capable of counselling objectively. These totalitarian proposals must be resisted.
CMF policy
Subject to compliance with appropriate professional guidelines, those with ethical concerns about abortionmust in principle be allowed to counsel patients.
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