Spain's Christian medical professionals express apprehension over fresh lists of abortion dissenters

In the realm of reproductive healthcare, Spain's abortion law reform, enacted in May 2022, has introduced a significant development: the regulation of conscientious objection for health workers. This move, while acknowledging the moral and religious beliefs of healthcare providers, has sparked a debate about potential discrimination and obstruction of abortion access.

The reform, which allows healthcare providers to register as conscientious objectors, shielding them from penalties for refusing direct involvement in abortion procedures, has raised concerns among critics. The fear is that widespread objection may lead to delays or denials of abortion services, particularly for vulnerable groups, potentially infringing on reproductive rights and equality principles.

In March 2023, the Spanish Minister of Health, Mónica García, put into practice a list of health workers who conscientiously object to the practice of voluntary termination of pregnancy. This list, set to include all professionals directly involved in the process—gynaecologists and obstetricians, anaesthetists, family doctors, nurses, and midwives—will be created regionally and at the National Institute of Health Management.

The list will cater to two types of objection: total and partial. Total objection refers to health workers who refuse to intervene in an abortion under any circumstance. Partial objection, on the other hand, includes some cases where it is possible to object, such as at the request of the woman within the first 14 weeks of pregnancy, a serious risk to the woman's life up to 22 weeks, a serious risk to the baby also up to 22 weeks, or anomalies incompatible with life or extremely serious and incurable illness in the foetus.

However, the creation of this list has not been met with universal approval. The general director, a retired doctor and director of Areópago Protestante, has expressed concern about the procedure. Entities such as the Observatory for Religious Freedom and Freedom of Conscience, and Professionals for Ethics, have also voiced rejection.

Their main concerns revolve around the potential collection and storage of sensitive personal information, which could lead to reprisals or persecution of objectors in their workplaces. Some evangelical voices within the health sector, like Xesús Manuel Suárez, a doctor and secretary general of the Spanish Evangelical Alliance, have expressed similar concerns about the potential for unjustified control and 'marking' of doctors who object.

Suárez, along with others, argues that the government's interest in healthcare should not be selective. He criticises the government for not prioritizing medical assistance for those in need, citing an example of a type 1 diabetic patient receiving poor care from the public health system.

This balance between professional responsibilities and patient rights in reproductive healthcare remains a focus of legal scrutiny and advocacy within Spain’s health policy context. The ongoing debate underscores the complexity of reproductive rights discourse in Spain and the role of healthcare workers within it.

[1] Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/spain-approves-regulation-conscientious-objection-abortion-2022-05-24 [4] Source: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(22)00226-8/fulltext

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Spain's Christian medical professionals express apprehension over fresh lists of abortion dissenters