Vatican City, Oct 29, 2007 / 07:45 am
An international gathering of Catholic pharmacists was received by Pope Benedict today at the Vatican. In his talk with them, the Holy Father insisted that health professionals must be allowed the right to exercise conscientious objection when it comes to dispensing drugs that cause abortion or euthanasia— words that are sure to impact the debate about the abortion pill in the U.S.
The Pope reminded the pharmacists that protecting human life from conception until natural death is part of their job. Benedict also encouraged them "to reflect upon the ever broader functions they are called to undertake, especially as intermediaries between doctor and patient," and upon their role in educating patients "in the correct use of medications" and in informing them of "the ethical implications of the use of particular drugs."
"It is not possible to anesthetize the conscience, for example, when it comes to molecules whose aim is to stop an embryo implanting or to cut short someone's life," the Pope said. He also warned the pharmacists against using people for experiments in ways that don’t respect ethical standards.
Pope Benedict’s words on the use of abortifacient pills come as debate on the use of the Plan-B pill (which according to its manufacturer can result in a chemical abortion in some cases) for rape victims has become quite heated in the U.S.