feature
Professional Obligations
and Human Rights
Physicians must respect the fundamental rights of those who seek
their care, states recently approved policy
C
It quickly became apparent during the
ouncil approved a policy
consultation that participants held very
which sets out physicians’ ex“The policy aims different perspectives on the policy isisting legal obligations under
to balance both sues. The view that physicians should not
the Ontario Human Rights
have to provide services that conflict with
Code and the College’s expectation that
physician and
their moral and/or religious beliefs was
physicians will respect the fundamental
patient rights” strongly represented among consultation
rights of those who seek their services.
participants. Others took the opposite
The policy – Professional Obligations
view, arguing that patients should not
and Human Rights - also addresses the
be impacted by a physician’s personally held beliefs.
College’s expectations in circumstances where physicians
Both viewpoints were carefully considered in drafting
limit the services they provide for reasons of conscience
the policy.
or religion. It was this section of the policy that fueled an
The policy aims to balance both patient and physician
unprecedented volume of consultation responses, with
rights in this context. While the Charter of Rights and
more than 9000 respondents weighing in.
Issue 1, 2015 Dialogue
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2015-03-19 11:18 AM