Medical school dean calls for life to be respected at conception

Buenos Aires, Argentina, Aug 16, 2010 / 16:11 pm

Dean of the medical school at the University of Buenos Aires, Alfredo Buzzi, spoke out last week explaining that he cannot support the legalization of abortion because “life must be respected from the moment of conception.” His comments came in response to a resolution by the university’s board to support the legalization of abortion.

The board voted 23-1 with 1 abstention to support legalized abortion in the country.

“It is well known that from the time of antiquity, abortions have been practiced by illicit means,”  Buzzi said. He added that the “the solution is not to legalize it,” but rather to have “clinics available where interventions can take place … and the baby can be given to parents who wish to adopt her.”

The only vote against was by Dr. Rodolfo Rothlin, who said his opposition was based on his biological beliefs about the moment in which life begins.

“I don’t feel bad for being the only one to vote against it because I’m not interested in convincing anyone,” he said.  “As doctors, we defend life.  I only ask that since it is a doctor who performs an abortion, that he be allowed to opt out if he believes it is an attack on life,” Rothlin stated.

Buzzi, who abstained from the vote, said, “While doctors see life as sacred, like the human body, there are some specific exceptions (for carrying out abortions), such as the life of the mother or because the fetus has anacepahly and lacks a central nervous system.  Under these two conditions, the doctor is authorized to proceed legally to terminate the pregnancy.”

“Doctors take an oath to respect life from the moment of conception, and for this reason I abstained,” Buzzi said.