Position paper from the department of ethics of the chilean college of physicians about conscientious objection El médico y la objeción de conciencia. opinión del departamento de ética del colegio médico de Chile A. G.

© 2016, Sociedad Medica de Santiago. All Rights Reserved. The Chilean bill that regulates abortion for three cases (Bulletin N° 9895-11) includes the possibility that health professionals may manifest their conscientious objection (CO) to perform this procedure. Due to the broad impact that the issue of CO had, the Ethics Department of the Chilean College of Physicians considered important to review this concept and its ethical and legal basis, especially in the field of sexual and reproductive health. In the present document, we define the practical limits of CO, both for the proper fulfillment of the medical profession obligations, and for the due respect and non-discrimination that the professional objector deserves. We analyze the denial of some health institutions to perform abortions if it is legalized, and we end with recommendations adjusted to the Chilean reality. Specifically, we recognize the right to conscientious objection that all physicians who directly participate in