Discourse, ethics, public health, abortion, and conscientious objection in Croatia.

Conscientious objection is the right of physicians to reject a practice or action that violates their ethical or moral principles (1). In majority of democratic countries, an individual has a legitimate right to conscientiously object and refuse to act according to the law or its individual provisions that prescribe behavior contrary to the individual’s conscience. However, it is necessary that the freedom of conscience of one person does not endanger or preclude the rights of others. The right to conscientious objection is usually associated with medicine, military service, and carrying and using weapons.