Objections in Conscience to Medical Procedures: Does Religion Make a Difference Lecture?

How should the government res pond if people refuse standard medical treatment? What should the government do if people refuse medical treatment for their children, and what autonomy should teenagers be given in making such choices? Is religion a proper basis for refusing such medical treatment? Furthermore, should medical practitioners have a privilege not to render services that they object to in conscience? This article analyzes such questions and proposes that the most sensible answers depend on context. Legislatures should sometimes create no exemptions, should sometimes create exemptions based on nonreligious criteria, and should sometimes use criteria framed in terms of religion. As a matter of constitutional law, statutes may often use religion as a criterion for a privilege, but even then, legislatures may choose broader criteria