The next generation of British doctors believe it should have the right to refuse to treat certain patients based on personal, moral and religious beliefs. A survey of over 700 medical students found almost half felt they should be entitled to conscientiously object to carrying out procedures such as abortions and treating patients who are drunk or on drugs. Most of their objections were based on non-religious reasons, but about 20% of students mentioned religion as the key factor.

Out of the 10 different religious groups to which the students belonged, Muslims were the most likely to believe they had a right to conscientious objection. In the anonymous survey, medical students from 4 different universities in Britain were presented with 11 procedures including abortions, prescribing the pill, treating patients high on drugs or alcohol and intimate examinations of patients of the opposite sex.

Asked if they thought doctors should be entitled to object to any procedure with which they disagreed on moral, cultural or religious grounds, 45.2% agreed, 40.6% disagreed and 14.2% were unsure. Of all the objections raised, 44.1% were for non-religious reasons, 19.7% were based on religion, and 36.2% were both. About 10% objected to treating a patient who was drunk or high on drugs, while 5.4% preferred not to carry out an intimate examination of a patient of the opposite sex. ~ The Australian, July 19