Doctors to fight new abortion law

Hawthorn Caller

Mike Billings

A group of doctors opposed to abortion say they will fight any moves in looming reforms to erode their rights to refuse to deal with patients wanting abortions. The issue of referring patients seeking abortions to another doctor has drawn opposition from the group.

Justice Minister Andrew Little says he agrees with a Law Commission proposal for doctors who are “conscientious objectors” to abortion to be made to directly refer a patient on to another doctor who they know will provide the service.

Currently, such doctors only have to advise the patient they can get the service elsewhere without specifying where. . . [Full text]

One thought on “Doctors to fight new abortion law”

  1. Referral is not required by New Zealand's Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act, though the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 requires an objecting physician to advise patients that they "can obtain the service from another health practitioner or from a family planning clinic. An attempt by the Medical Council of New Zealand to require objecting physicians to refer for abortion and related procedures was rejected by the High Court of New Zealand.

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