European Union Protects Doctors’ Freedom of Conscience

As Radio Free Europe reported, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) adopted a resolution which protects European Union (EU) doctors from being coerced into performing abortions.

Unfortunately, Resolution 1763 did not begin with such noble intentions. In fact, former British Member of Parliament Christine McCafferty introduced the draft resolution with a title of “Women’s Access to Lawful Medical Care: The Problem of Unregulated Use of Conscientious Objection.”

Despite McCafferty’s anti-life intentions, 29 amendments were accepted on the way to passing an inherently different resolution. Instead of forcing doctors to perform abortions, the resolution held that “No person, hospital or institution shall be coerced, held liable or discriminated against in any manner because of a refusal to perform, accommodate, assist or submit to an abortion, the performance of a human miscarriage, or euthanasia or any act which could cause the death of a human foetus or embryo, for any reason.”

In the end, McCaffery’s anti-life resolution became one that protected the conscience of doctors and hospitals all over the EU!

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