Artificial reproduction is not regulated in Ireland, so that sperm and egg donors and people having recourse to it and children conceived or carried to term in surrogacy arrangements may have to go to court to determine their legal status and relationships. Questions about what to do with embryos abandoned by their parents have also arisen, although this problem also exists in jurisdictions that regulate the procedures. The Irish Ministry of Health is now considering regulatory proposals. [Irish Examiner]
Category: Procedures & Services
El problema de la objeción de conciencia no regulada
Cuando la conciencia molesta a la ley
A finales de 2010, en la Asamblea Parlamentaria del Consejo de Europa (PACE) se presentó un informe de su Comisión de Asuntos Sociales, Salud y Familia en el que expresaba su profunda preocupación por el problema de la “objeción de conciencia no regulada” en Europa. El Comité propuso que los Estados adoptaran “una regulación integral y clara” para hacer frente a este problema. . .[aceprensa]
Embryos abandoned by parents present ethical, legal quandary
The Calgary Herald reports that fewer than 5% (20,000) of the roughly 400,000 frozen embryos at fertility clinics in the United States have been abandoned by their parents. It suggests that over 135,000 frozen embryos are stored at clinics in Canada; a 5% rate would imply over 6,700 abandoned embryos. That figure might be too low, since one clinic is reported to have 1,000 “unclaimed” embryos. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine has decided that clinics can destroy embryos that have been abandoned for at least five years, the parents cannot be located, and there are no written instructions to indicate what should be done with them. The guidance is legally and ethically contested. [Calgary Herald]
Irish Times publishes false “abortion” story
Paper admits “abortion” did not happen
No explanation offered for fabricated “news”
The controversy surrounding Ireland’s new abortion law has been further inflamed by a story by Irish Times Health reporter Paul Cullen. The story first appeared on 23 August, 2013. Its accuracy was immediately disputed, and the paper had to add note stating that the article was erroneous in claiming that an “abortion” had occurred at the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin “under the provisions of the new abortion legislation,” which had not yet come into effect. Nonetheless, in an interview the following day, Cullen continued to insist that the reported “abortion” had occurred at the hospital, and that the public had a “right to know” about it.
The Irish Times has now been forced to remove the article from its website because it was found to be false. Despite Mr. Cullen’s concern about the public’s “right to know,” the paper has offered no explanation to account for the fabrication of the story and the failure of editorial oversight that permitted its publication.
A significant issue raised by the incident is a dispute about what constitutes an “abortion.” A protest outside the Irish Times organized by Irish pro-life organizations Youth Defence and Life Institute included statements and signs to the effect that premature delivery of a baby (presumably resulting in death) is not an “abortion,” but “medical treatment” intended to save the life of the mother. It is by no means clear that the Irish Times or those favouring legalization of abortion accept this distinction. Differences on this point are likely to complicate the exercise of freedom of conscience by health care workers who do not wish to participate in abortion.
Activist complains that Catholic hospitals won’t facilitate assisted suicide
In an opinion piece published in the Seattle Times, Tom Preston, a retired physician who was one of the leaders of the successful assisted suicide lobby in Washington State, complains that Catholic hospitals in the state will not facilitate assisted suicide. “Throughout Washington,” he claims, “doctors are being silenced and forced to adhere to religious rules that prevent any participation in death with dignity,” and that “many Washingtonians are denied access to legal and humane end-of-life medical care.”
Writers with a different view of assisted suicide would respond that Catholic hospitals provide “humane end-of life medical care” as well as “death with dignity,” though not assisted suicide. In any case, the position taken by Preston demonstrates that the legalization of morally contentious procedures like euthanasia and assisted suicide tends to generate political and social pressures inimical to freedom of conscience among health care workers and institutions.