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Where's the line between what a patient wants and a doctor's personal beliefs?

What are you supposed to do if your patient is asking for an abortion or for birth control pills (especially if you're ob/gyn)? What if a patient who's a young girl keeps getting pregant and you have to do something; you don't believe in birth control of course but she will not change her interactions with the opposite sex? What if a legal guardian (or spouse or whatever) wants to take his/her child or spouse off life support when it would not be right?

I think there are certain guidelines (or maybe even laws) that doctors are expected to follow in the secular, political world, but I forgot. What is one supposed to do as a Catholic in these situations? I want to become a doctor in the near future, and it made me wonder what a person should do in these situations.

As a doctor, I think you should explain to the patient the possible treatments but as a Catholic, you should advise against those which are wrong according to the teachings of the Church.

If that person keeps getting pregnant or is danger of having HIV, instead of using artificial contraception, ABSTAIN FROM SEX. It is sinful and stupid for us to think that our passions are so great that they cannot be overcome. God will not give us a trial we cannot pass. 3nodding

If that person request euthanasia ("mercy" killing), advise against it. We have no right to take our lives or the lives of others even if it is out of pity for our lives are not really ours. Christ had borne the cross until the end. We should take up our crosses too and follow Him - until the end. 3nodding

Speaking in legal terms, I believe you have the right to refuse to treat a person in a manner that is contrary to your beliefs because (a) the Constitution (at least here in the Philippines and the rest of the free world) guarantees religious freedom, (b)and the person requesting treatment would not be placed in danger if the treatment is not performed thus it would not be negligence on the part of the doctor. Just avoid entering into contracts that compel you to do things you shouldn't do. sweatdrop

If the person insists despite your disapproval, just refer that person to another doctor then take no part in it. It would also be good to consult the Church and a lawyer about this matter. 3nodding

In the unlikely but possible situation that you are forced to make a choice between faith and statute, I pray that you make the right decision. wink

So would giving/prescribing contraception or performing euthanasia count for automatic excommunication as well?

In the UK, you will be struck off the list of the General Medical Council for refusal to refer. You are putting a patient's life in danger (particularly if the patient attempts a diy abortion - information is easily available for this), and that is not your job. You are a doctor. You are not a patient. I have been a regular user of the health service for a while now, and I have lost faith in the service itself, in practitioners, in protocols. I have come to mistrust many doctors, and the reason lies in the way I was treated. I was not treated any different to anyone else with my illness, but the people with my illness are not treated well. There is the obvious opinion that my physical illness is in my head (see sig ^^), despite a large amount of research into measurable disturbances in my body. Please never betray your patients' trust. Never pass them off as knowing less than you about their condition. We are all suffering members of the human race, created by the Sacred Divinity of God; we all have problems and hardships, and you should treat everyone you meet as an angel from God (Hebrews...10?). It is not our place to judge others. Underlying the rant I tried not to have, I don't believe referal to a neutral doctor is engaging with the abortive process.

Futhermore, it is not your place to impose morals. If, for instance, as a Jehovha's Witness and as your doctor, I refused to give you a blood test for malaria, refused to treat you for it, then I'm sure you'd want to sock me one. Similarly, your patients will not appreciate you making decisions for them, or advising as to the morality of their actions. In addition, as a doctor, you will be expected to understand all sides of an arguement. For example, if you were against euthanasia, for the traditional reasons, you would also have to understand why someone would not want to effectively go through an early pergatory. Imagine what it's like to live with pain that makes you unable to care for your own hygene, despite your use of medication - that's only moderate pain and immobility. Certainly, you will see many people who keep animals choose to have a lethal injection, because seeing someone you love drowning in their own fluids, gasping for every breath.....that is unpleasent. Likewise, with dying reletives, their is a genuine desire to end their torture. Double-effect, rather than lethal dosing, is supported by the Church.

As for the situation of contraceptives with HIV, it is fair to ask the patient to abstain. However, I could promise you that now, but as a human being stained by sin, I am inatly weak, and I cannot tell you what may happen in the future. Moreover, having a female body, I cannot tell you what others may do to me. Even the person in my life I struggle to forgive, even them, I would -never- wish HIV upon.

This my friend is a true chance to act like saint. A true chance to love god with all heart mind body and soul.

You can not procure an abortion for the patient or tell them where to get one. You can not advise an abortion. That would be aiding murder. As for birth control I am not sure. Using artificial birth control is of course a mortal sin. Some forms are murder. How ever if the birth control is used to regulate the mental cycle that may be okay though you should see what the church says about it.

Euthanasia is murder despite what any human law says. You can not tell them it is okay or arrange for it to be done. The church requires all ordinary means for keeping people alive. By ordinary she means things like feeding tubes, water ,ect. You are not required to give them the electric paddle if their heart stops if they have a no resuscitation order. Things like replacement kidneys or such are not mandatory if they have no resuscitation order. How ever if a man is already hooked up to something and removing it would end their life you can not do that. That would be murder.

As for what legal problems it causes that does not matter. You are called as a member of the church to uphold all her precepts even if it would end your life. So that means losing a job is a risk you must take to uphold the teachings of the church and human dignity .

How ever I do not mean to come off as cold or uncaring. This may be very hard for you but you are doing the Catholic things. Also heaven is not blind to your suffering you will get your reward in heaven if you preserver here on earth.

Pax Christi Vobiscum,
Regina.

i personally would just do what i believe in. i dont care if the laws say i have to give some one an abortion. its almost as bad as fornicating on an altar to a pagan god. i wouldnt do something sinful cause some stupid law made by MAN tells me i have to. Jesus died for his beliefs so did the apostles and alot of the saints. i'd willing tell the person who wanted one of those things to screw off. i dont care what they want its what God and teh Vatican says. doctors do have the choice of what is right and wrong for the patient. so it shoudnt be too hard. but id willingly die for what believe in. except i doubt theyd kill a doctor for not giving an abortion.

oh and i'm with you on the doctor thing! i wana be a pharmaceutical scientist later in life.

The problem is, if you direct them to another doctor who will perform the procedure, you are commiting an EVEN GREATER MORTAL SIN than the girl or the doctor doing it.

Regardless of individual beliefs, we are all supposed to follow the laws of Nature (Natural Law) and if you believe in God then they are a reflection of Eternal Law. One of the most important parts of Natural Law regarding humans is that no human for any reason should have their life taken away, by others or themselves. This is the most basic understanding of Human Dignity, which we all have no matter what. It does not matter what anybody says, there is another human being's life at stake here. An abortion is one of if not THE worst thing anybody could ever do to another human.

If you have no intention of having the blood of innocent unborn children on your hands in the future, I suggest you don't put yourself into a medical profession that would require you to do the procedures.

That's a tricky question, and can get easily twisted beyond recognition due to rhetoric or over-looking certain truths inherent to the matter. I know there was some controversy recently in the States over a doctor who did not give a referall to a woman who wished to have an abortion.

I think part of the importance of a country founded on religious freedom includes not having to subscribe to those beliefs and practices which you do not wish to, as long as you are not directly hurting someone else.

To tell a patient, "I cannot refer you to have an abortion or to someone who does give abortions because of personal moral beliefs" is not imposing your beliefs on that person. It is simply "washing your hands" of the matter. Also, notably, the woman's life is not in danger. She will not suffer or die because of your refusal to be involved in her dilemma. Pregnancy is not an illness. Furthermore, you, as the doctor, are not her last chance for survival. She can go to another doctor for an abortion. Heck, she can look in a phone book.

It is a completly different matter if there were an emergency in a confined area, and you, as a doctor, refused to aid a patient who in explicit physical pain or dying.

Don't let people put the "either or" threat against you. The matter is not "give someone an abortion or be responsible for her death and illness." The matter is "give someone an abortion and aid in a mortal sin or excuse yourself from this controversy and allow her to take her dilemma to someone else."