{"id":11013,"date":"2024-06-18T11:17:25","date_gmt":"2024-06-18T18:17:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.consciencelaws.org\/?p=11013"},"modified":"2024-06-18T11:18:38","modified_gmt":"2024-06-18T18:18:38","slug":"nova-scotia-medical-regulator-unwilling-physicians-must-collaborate-in-euthanasia-and-other-controversial-procedures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.consciencelaws.org\/?p=11013","title":{"rendered":"Nova Scotia medical regulator: unwilling physicians must collaborate in euthanasia and other controversial procedures"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

News Release<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Immediate Release<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protection of Conscience Project<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia (CPSNS) has adopted a new policy <\/em> (Conscientious Objection<\/a><\/em>) that will compel physicians unwilling to provide a service for reasons of conscience – including euthanasia – to help patients obtain the service elsewhere. The College adopted Conscientious Objection<\/em> notwithstanding letters from at least 24 Nova Scotia physicians<\/a> indicating that they would have to retire early or leave the province if the policy were ratified by the College Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hostility of the CPSNS to physician freedom of conscience may reflect the College Registrar\u2019s longstanding promotion of mandatory effective referral for abortion, euthanasia and assisted suicide. Nova Scotians will not be well-served by morally partisan CPSNS standards likely to cause physicians to emigrate, retire, restrict their practices or leave family medicine or palliative care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is unacceptable to compel unwilling physicians to become parties to killing their patients or to other procedures they believe to be gravely wrong and\/or contrary to good medical practice. The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) has repeatedly gone on record against mandatory effective referral, and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta does not support it, contrary to what Conscientious Objection<\/em> seems to imply by referencing these authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Protection of Conscience Project is a non-profit, non-denominational initiative that advocates for freedom of conscience among health care workers. It does not take a position on the acceptability of morally contested procedures. The Project’s critical review of Conscientious Objection<\/em><\/a> addresses issues directly or indirectly related to the protection of physician freedom of conscience, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n