British General Medical Council proposes to force physicians to set aside “personal beliefs”

Britain’s General Medical Council has released a draft document for consultation that proposes to force physicians to facilitate practices to which they object for reasons of conscience by helping patients find someone who will provide the procedures.  The proposal would also prohibit physicians from explaining their beliefs to patients “in ways that. . . are likely to cause them distress”  – a subjective requirement open to abuse by disgruntled patients. Comments are sought from 18 April, 2012 to 13 June, 2012. [Document] [GMC] [Bioedge]

Midwives to appeal ruling against freedom of conscience

Two Catholic midwives will appeal a ruling by the Court of Session in Edinburgh that they must facilitate abortions by supervising and supporting nurses involved with the procedure. [BBC]

 Herald Scotland:

Cardinal warns Europe about developments in the US

In a speech to the law school at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, Giovanni Cardinal Lajolo, former president of the commission governing Vatican City State, warned that the current controversy in the United States about freedom of conscience indicates the need to seek greater protection for freedom of conscience in Europe.  Speaking at length on the subject, he insisted that individual religious believers as well as religious institutions should always be able to live live and act in conformity with their conscientious convictions. [CNS]

Polish MP seeks protection of conscience for pharmacists

A Polish member of parliament, Jacek Żalekis, is advocating a protection of conscience law for pharmacists.  Polands Catholic Pharmacists’ Association (SFK) supports the idea, noting that pharmacists are denied the freedom of concience enjoyed by physicians and nurses. The idea is opposed by the deputy speaker of parliament and others, who argue that pharmacists who wish to act in accordance with their conscientious convictions should change their profession. [The News]

American Cardinal on morality of employer cooperation in contraception

In an interview on the Eternal Word Television Network, Raymond Cardinal Burke, Prefect of the highest ecclesiastical court in the Catholic Church, has stated that an employer who pays for insurance coverage for contraception is “formally cooperating” in the sin of contraception, and that such cooperation cannot be justified.  [LifeSite News]