MD: Morality Doctor

[DeSwiss]

Whatever happened to the Hypocratic Oath's entreaty to do no harm?

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070208/D8N59F800.html">Study: Moral Beliefs May Sway Docs' Care

Feb 7, 10:22 PM (ET)

By LINDA A. JOHNSON

A disturbing number of doctors do not feel obligated to tell patients about medical options they oppose morally, such as abortion and teen birth control, and believe they have no duty to refer people elsewhere for such treatments, researchers say.

The survey of 1,144 doctors around the country is the first major look at how physicians' religious or moral beliefs might affect patients' care.

The study, conducted by University of Chicago researchers, found 86 percent of those responding believe doctors are obligated to present all treatment options, and 71 percent believe they must refer patients to another doctor for treatments they oppose. Slightly more than half the rest said they had no such obligation; the others were undecided.

"That means that there are a lot of physicians out there who are not, in fact, doing the right thing," said David Magnus, director of Stanford University's Center for Biomedical Ethics......

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070208/D8N59F800.html

[Colobo]

1. The patient needs to be alert

Fundies are quite easy to spot, even in the doctor's office. If you notice a doctor, for example, is reluctant to talk about birth control methods even when you ask him/her... you know what you have in front of you is probably a fundie.

[DeSwiss]

2. I agree with you....

...and I regularly hear long sighs coming from doctors because of my questions. But I always retain control of my healthcare decisions.

But many don't. They just "trust" the doctor as they've been taught to do. And in particular, teen girls who find themselves in need of reproduction advice.

[Colobo]

3. True...

But parents should talk with their teens about health care decisions... you know, "If you go to a doctor with a specific need or doubt and the doctor refuses to answer or gives you an explanation that doesn't satisfy you, or tries to persuade you to take a decision that you feel is not what you might need, look for a second opinion."

Of course, we do have the problem of fundie parents and... what a difficult topic!