"Private Conscience, Public Acts"

Eva and Hugh LaFollette

Journal of Medical Ethics, 2007,  249-54.

Abstract

             A growing number of medical professionals claim a right of conscience, a right to refuse to perform any professional duty they deem immoraland to do so with impunity.  We argue that professionals do not have the unqualified right of conscience.  At most they have a highly qualified right.   We focus on the claims of pharmacists, since they are the professionals most commonly claiming this right.

 

 

If you wish to obtain an eprint, please email me: hughlafollette@gmail.com.

 

A slightly revised version of this paper was reprinted in the Fall 2009 issue of the APA's Newletter of Medicine and Philosophy.  The version, renamed "The Professional Conscience" is available here (scroll to page 2).

 

A later paper appears here.