Academy: Catholics must refuse medical procedures that destroy life

Published: 2007-03-16

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Catholic health care professionals, including hospital administrators, have an obligation to refuse to participate "in any medical intervention or research that foresees the destruction of human life," said the Pontifical Academy for Life. The academy, in a statement dated March 15, defended the right of both individuals and hospitals to declare their status as conscientious objectors to procedures that destroy human life. The statement followed the academy's Feb. 23-24 assembly, which was devoted to discussions about educating Christian consciences and exercising conscientious objection in defending the right to life. In addition to refusing to participate in abortions, the statement said, doctors, pharmacists and nurses also must be aware of their "moral responsibility" when asked to provide so-called "emergency contraception," clarifying the difference between treatment designed to prevent conception, for instance in the case of rape, and treatment designed to destroy a human embryo before it can be implanted in the uterus.

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .