Opinion
A physician shouldn't have to provide option viewed as morally wrong
LETTER — Posted April 3, 2006
Regarding "Broader conscience clauses would expand physicians' right of refusal" (Article, March 6): In your piece on conscience clauses, family physician Howard Brody, MD, of East Lansing, Mich., infers that there is a problem with the proposed conscience clause in that it doesn't require the physician to tell patients about their options.
I would suggest instead that this provision is fully appropriate. If one works under the construct that abortion is morally wrong and should be illegal, why in the world would you then want to or have to tell patients that it is an option?
Steven Mull, MD, Rockford, Ill.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/04/03/edlt0403.htm.
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