Could the threat of lawsuits rein in gender dysphoria doctors?

BioEdge

Michael Cook

Critics of transgender treatment for children have been making heavy weather of persuading people that it could be medically dangerous. However, a well-documented feature in The Australian warns that transgender doctors could face class action suits if they continue to ignore research which claims that children are being harmed. . . [Full text]

PDForra seeking conscientious objection rights

The Irish Examiner

Sean O’Riordan

The association representing the country’s frontline Defence Forces has taken a case to the Council of Europe to force the State to recognise the right of soldiers, sailors and aircrew to register as conscientious objectors.

PDForra, which represents 6,500 enlisted personnel, is leading the case on behalf of sister organisations in Denmark, Greece, Cyprus and the Netherlands. The Irish case has been lodged through Euromil, the umbrella body of European military representative associations, and argues that not recognising conscientious objection breaches Human Rights legislation. .. [Full text]

Governor vetoes protection of conscience amendment in Nuevo Leon

Sean Murphy*

A protection of conscience amendment to the health law of the Mexican state of Nuevo Leon has been vetoed by the governor and returned to the state legislature with the government’s observations. These include an expectation of the inclusion of a requirement for mandatory referral by objecting health care workers ( which many would find unacceptable), and the inclusion of a requirement that institutions maintain non-objecting personnel on staff to whom the referrals could be made. News reports indicate that the veto was triggered by opposition to the amendment by homosexual and allied groups alleging that protecting freedom of conscience for health care workers would result in discrimination against them. [Milenio]

Under Articles 71 and73 of the Constitution of Nuevo León, the governor must review legislation and either approve it or return in within 10 days for  reconsideration.  If the bill is approved by 2/3 of the Deputies after reconsideration, it must be approved and published by the Governor.

Church supports conscientious objection for medical professionals in Nuevo Leon

Catholic News Agency

Monterrey, Mexico, Oct 30, 2019 / 05:19 pm (CNA).- Archbishop Rogelio Cabrera López of Monterrey said Sunday he supports the reform of the Healthcare Law in Mexico’s Nuevo Leon state allowing conscientious objection for doctors and nurses.

Speaking to the press Oct. 27, Cabrera said that “conscientious objection is a universally established right; I think that sometimes the problem is how it is understood or put into practice.” . . . [Full text]

Italian doctors on trial for manslaughter after refusing abortion

More than two-thirds of obstetricians exercise ‘right to object’ to terminations

Financial Times

Hannah Roberts, Marianna Giusti

Seven Italian doctors who refused to perform a potentially life-saving abortion are fighting accusations of manslaughter in a trial that is expected to set a precedent for Italy’s medical attitude towards the procedure.

The trial held in Catania, Sicily, focuses on the circumstances of the death, in 2016, of five-months-pregnant Valentina Milluzzo. Members of Milluzzo’s family, who gave evidence on Tuesday, said that when the 32-year-old was admitted to hospital with complications, doctors said her unborn twins would not survive but refused to terminate the pregnancies on moral grounds, which ultimately led to fatal sepsis. . . [Full text]