Catholic Physicians Research Articles

1989 Annual Meeting National Federation of Catholic Physicians' Guilds Sept. 20-23 Adam's Mark Hotel, Houston, Texas

1989 Annual Meeting National Federation of Catholic Physicians' Guilds Sept. 20-23 Adam's Mark Hotel, Houston, Texas

Opinion survey on the bioethical views of Catholic physicians in Japan. I. Contraception and induced abortion

This opinion survey on sex and bioethics was carried out in March and April of 1988 by the special committee for family planning and sex related problems which the JMCA (President Dr. Yasuro Anno) had drawn up. This study deals with the analysis of 229 responses to the 3 questions concerning contraception, natural family planning and induced abortion respectively. The background factors of the respondents, sex, age, baptismal age, region (by archdiocese), specialty (clinical, fundamental and social medicine), and payment of the membership fees during the past 3 years were investigated by means of the multiple regression analysis. In addition to the age factor which clearly influenced the responses of each question, the regional factor showed significant influences on the responses to the contraception as well as natural family planning questions. The author proposes five operational hypotheses (A-E) to explain these phenomena, and concludes that it is important to undertake interdisciplinary research as well as to conduct continuous education programs concerning biomedical ethics among the catholic physicians in Japan.

Catholic Hospitals and Abortion Physicians

Catholic Hospitals and Abortion Physicians

What a Catholic Physician Is

What a Catholic Physician Is

The Professional Responsibility of a Catholic Physician: A Personal View

The Professional Responsibility of a Catholic Physician: A Personal View

Annual Meeting National Federation of Catholic Physicians’ Guilds Oct. 2-4, 1987 Sheraton St. Regis Hotel New York, NY

Annual Meeting National Federation of Catholic Physicians’ Guilds Oct. 2-4, 1987 Sheraton St. Regis Hotel New York, NY

Why a Catholic Physicians’ Guild?

Why a Catholic Physicians’ Guild?

Doing Medical Ethics as a Catholic Physician

Doing Medical Ethics as a Catholic Physician

1986 Annual Meeting National Federation of Catholic Physicians’ Guilds Sept. 11-13, 1986 the Westin Hotel, Chicago, Ill. Program

1986 Annual Meeting National Federation of Catholic Physicians’ Guilds Sept. 11-13, 1986 the Westin Hotel, Chicago, Ill. Program

1986 Annual Meeting National Federation of Catholic Physicians Guilds Sept. 11-13, 1986 the Westin Hotel, Chicago, Ill.

1986 Annual Meeting National Federation of Catholic Physicians Guilds Sept. 11-13, 1986 the Westin Hotel, Chicago, Ill.

A Report from the International Organization of Catholic Physicians

A Report from the International Organization of Catholic Physicians

The physician as moral entrepreneur

This paper argues that the work of the contemporary physician is at least in part the work of a moral entrepreneur. The effects of religious affiliation and religiosity on the decision making of a modern doctor are examined in an analysis of the responses of 231 physicians to a mailed questionnaire. Decision-making issues were considered to be those with social/moral implications. Religious physicians tend to favor clergy involvement in social and procreative issues. Roman Catholic physicians oppose the involvement of the medical profession in birth control issues.

Amniocentesis in Tay-Sachs Disease

To the Editor.— Dr. Rosner quite accurately describes the chemical deficiency, the statistics involved, and the prognosis of that inborn error of metabolism, Tay-Sachs disease. Although I make no pretense at eradicating the disease by diagnostic amniocentesis and selective feticide, I rise in defense of these procedures to eliminate the sick in the fetal stage of development. Just as an enlightened although observant Catholic physician rarely follows the extreme dictates of the Church to save the child even at expense of the mother's life, I, as an enlightened though observant, traditional Ashkenozic Jew, cannot reject selective feticide, even if a small core of extreme rabbinical minds interpret Halocha (The Law) as not finding the procedure ethically permissible. To be able to suspect by screening techniques of the parents, and to know in advance by amniocentesis, that the mother is indeed carrying an infant with Tay-Sachs disease is a remarkable

Birth Control and the Private Physician: The View from Los Angeles

In an effort to elucidate how physicians in the Los Angeles area regard family planning services and how they actually make them available to their patients, a mail survey of a sample of physicians was undertaken in the summer of 1972. Of the 992 questionnaires sent out, 628 usable questionnaires were returned. 70% of the physicians indicated that they believe birth control provision should be a standard service. The highest level of support came from ob-gyns, 85% of whom said they believe it should be standard. This shows a rise since 1957 when 1 study reported that only 29% of nonCatholic physicians and 4% of Catholic physicians believed that birth control provision should be a standard medical service. A study by Silver in 1971 found that 62% of those sampled said it should be standard. The Los Angeles physicians showed some reluctance in initiating discussion of birth control. If requested, 80% would provide help to female minors with parental consent, compared with 54% who would initiate advice to unwed sexually active minors. More than 80% of the internists and more than 90% of the other specialists indicated that they have assisted patients by referral or otherwise in receiving sterilization. About 90% of the ob-gyns and GPs and about 2/3 of the internists and urologists believed that they were adequately qualified to provide birth control services. 5 questions probing the physicians' knowledge of the relative safety, effectiveness, and legality of various birth control methods raised some question as to whether the doctors did not overestimate their qualifications. 1 example of this was that when asked to rank the theoretical effectiveness of oral contraceptives, diaphragm with jelly, vaginal foam, and postcoital douche, almost 1/4 of the specialists failed to give the correct response.

Leve de foetus

This article discusses how Belgian doctors dealt with religious beliefs in their medicalpractice in the nineteenth century, using the medical discussion of the cesarean section asa case study. In this period doctors faced a dilemma as cesareans were highly mortal forwomen and other altemative operations had fatal consequences for the fetus. Whereasmost Catholic physicians preferred the cesarean section, liberal practitioners often saw noharm in sacrificing the unborn fetus in order to save the mother. By analyzing the argumentsand codes of conduct of Belgian doctors I will show how they demarcated boundariesbetween religious beliefs and their medical practice.

The time has come; a Catholic doctor's proposals to end the battle over birth control.

John Rock is a distinguished gynecologist and a devout Roman Catholic. His scientific interests, which include the development of a widely discussed contraceptive pill, have centered in the field of human reproduction. His conscience, if we interpret the preface correctly, leads him to believe that the time has come for a Catholic physician to explore the religious, ethical, and medical problems involved in controlling the rapid increase in the world's population. He accomplishes his purpose with much dignity and not a little wit. His relaxed, yet remarkably clear style, his shrewd utilization of semantics to develop his arguments, and the incisive way he makes his points suggest the maneuvers of a skilled chess player. The book is not written primarily for physicians, but is, rather, a popular work and anyone, regardless of his faith or occupation, who is concerned about the rapid increase in population growth or who is interested

Compendium of pastoral medicine.

The purpose of this book is determined, as the author says, by the need which the spiritual advisor has. And Pastoral is of no less importance to the doctor since he needs a guide in his practice.... Pastoral is a very important part of medical science and a very important branch of Pastoral Theology. Its importance for both branches of knowledge becomes more clearly evident as time goes on. This book is for the non-Catholic as well as the Catholic physician, for we must recognize that, in caring for a patient, we must treat within that patient's faith. For the doctor in his relations with the sick, the importance of the ideas expressed in Pastoral is incalculable. Doctor Niedermeyer has divided his work into three main sections: Fundamental Principles, Special Pastoral Medicine, and Religion and Therapeutics (Deontology). The section Special Pastoral Medicine can be used as a

Cesarean Section for Placenta Prævia.

Omaha, Neb., May 30, 1905. To the Editor: —In Dr. Holmes' article on section for placenta praevia inThe Journal, May 20, appears this assertion concerning the Catholic Church's doctrine anent extrauterine pregnancy: The profession may not know it, but the church prohibits operation for extrauterine pregnancy; this prohibition would not be countenanced by physicians. I do not suppose for a moment that the writer intends the latter part of this assertion for Catholic physicians who look on that church as their teacher and guide in questions of faith and morals; and as there is a moral principle involved in this, as well as in kindred operations, they must, if true to their religious belief, follow the wise decisions of the church. But apart from this, and not in a spirit of controversy, let me ask is not Dr. Holmes' statement, The church prohibits operation for extrauterine pregnancy, somewhat misleading,