INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
THE ROLE OF CONSCIENCE AND CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTION IN HEALTHCARE
Seminar Room, Dunmore Lang College, 130 Herring Rd, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park, NSW
11-12th September, 2017
Charles Sturt University, School of Humanities and Social Sciences in association with the Macquarie University Research Centre for Agency, Values, and Ethics (CAVE) will host a conference on the role of conscience and conscientious objection in healthcare.
International speakers
Piers Benn (Heythrop College, University of London)
Carolyn McLeod (Western University, Canada)
Julian Savulescu (University of Oxford)
Domestic speakers
Steve Clarke (Charles Sturt University)
Tony Coady (University of Melbourne)
Dan Cohen (Charles Sturt University)
Jim Franklin (University of New South Wales)
Jeanette Kennett (Macquarie University)
Doug McConnell (Charles Sturt University)
Bernadette Tobin (Australian Catholic University)
The conference aims to analyse the role of ‘conscience’ in the healthcare profession and the restrictions, if any, that should be placed on conscientious objection. Conscientious objection by health professionals has become one of the most pressing problems in healthcare ethics. Health professionals are often required to perform activities, such as abortion, that conflict with their own moral or religious beliefs. Their refusal can make it difficult for patients to have access to services they have a right to and can, more generally, create conflicts in the doctor-patient relationship. The widening of the medical options available today or in the near future is likely to increase and sharpen these conflicts. The conference will see the participation of experts in bioethics, philosophy, law and medicine, who will explore the topic of conscientious objection from secular, religious and feminist perspectives, and try to suggest solutions.
Participation is free but numbers are strictly limited so registration is essential. To register, email Doug McConnell at [email protected]
Organizers: Doug McConnell (Charles Sturt University), Jeanette Kennett (Macquarie University), and Steve Clarke (Charles Sturt University). The conference is supported by Charles Sturt University, the Australian Research Council Discovery Grant, ‘Conscience and conscientious objection in healthcare’ (DP150102068), and the Macquarie University Research Centre for Agency, Values and Ethics (CAVE). Conference program
Monday September 11th 10.00- 10.10 Welcome 10.10-11.10 Jeanette Kennett (Macquarie University) – Undeserving patients? Masked moral objection and refusal of service to stigmatized groups
11.10-11.30 Morning tea
11.30-12.30 Tony Coady (University of Melbourne) – Conscience, conscientious objection, and moral Knowledge
12.30-13.30 Lunch
13.30-14.30 Dan Cohen (Charles Sturt University) – The logic of conscientious objection
14.30-15.30 Steve Clarke (Charles Sturt University) – Conscientious objections and consistency
15.30-16.00 Afternoon tea
16.00-17.00 Carolyn McLeod (Western University, Canada) – A physician’s conscience and freedom ‘to choose whom to serve’
Drinks
Conference Dinner
Tuesday September 12th 9:30-10.30 Piers Benn (Heythrop College, University of London) – Conscience, integrity and reasonability
10.30-10.50 Morning tea
10.50-11.50 Bernadette Tobin (Australian Catholic University) – Objecting for moral reasons. What accommodation should be made for conscientious objection in healthcare?
11.50-12.50 Jim Franklin (University of New South Wales) – Hunting down conscientious objectors in medicine
12.50-13.50 Lunch
13.50-14.50 Doug McConnell (Charles Sturt University) – How should we constrain physicians’ discretionary space to ensure good medicine?
14.50-15.50 Julian Savulescu (Oxford University) – Charlie Gard, medical tourism and conscientious objection
15.50-16.10 Afternoon tea
16.10-17.30 Round table discussion