Debate! Physician Conscience Act
>> Thursday, September 18, 2008
I can't believe I didn't realize yesterday was Wednesday... well, a day late, but I am still going to rile your tail feathers. That is what Debate! is all about.
This weeks topic is about the Physicians Conscience Act. Now while it may sound all nice and dandy this could have possible repercussions on health care in America.
Here's the basic rundown: This act would allow anyone in the health care profession to use their own discretion and/or belief system to determine how they want to treat you. I found out this was STILL an issue (this came up years ago) on Bug Girl's Blog.
Now while this sounds sweet and respectful, it pretty much means that I could get refused to get written a prescription to birth control because the doctor is Catholic or a pharmacist could deny me my lithium because he doesn't believe in psychiatry. Now a lot of people on the more... erm... "religious" side of the debate state that this means we can't force doctors to perform abortions. Okay, great, that is one plus...I guess. I don't agree with this either, but hey. I am not here to pass judgment, I just like intellectually stimulating arguments and love to flex my debating muscles.
Read up on it. What do you think? Is it okay for a doctor to deny you treatment because he feels it is morally wrong? Do you think this will lead to doctors not treating people because they are Wicca, or whatever and that, to them, is also morally wrong? Where does this stop?
