This Press Release is an adaptation from the Greek-language original, published on 17.04.2025.
The Greek Medical Code of Ethics (Law 3481/2005)[1] has several deeply problematic provisions which prioritize a doctor’s “conscience” (i.e. the doctor’s religious beliefs) over the patient’s rights, and especially the rights of women and LGBTQI+ persons. We quote and explain these provisions below, translated by our team:
Article 2 – “The Practice of Medicine as a Profession of Service”
Paragraph 5: “A physician may, on grounds of conscience, refuse to participate in lawful medical procedures to which they have conscientious objections, except in emergency situations.”
It is obvious that no doctor will ever have “conscientious objections” to an appendectomy or an open-heart surgery. The only lawful medical procedures to which a doctor may object “on grounds of his conscience” are those opposed by the forces of regression, i.e. the clergy and the alt-right, which is generously funded by dark money: namely, the termination of a pregnancy (abortion) and gender reassignment surgery and treatment. While examining this legal text, we discovered that medically assisted reproduction is also targeted.
Article 30 – “Medically Assisted Human Reproduction”
Paragraph 5: “The physician may invoke the principles and rules of their moral conscience and refuse to perform or participate in a medically assisted reproduction procedure.”
In other words: the Greek government, for all is posturing as beeing deeply concerned about the demographic problem, and, more specifically the infertility and low birth rates that exacerbate it, gives the medical community free rein to refuse medically assisted reproduction services to patients, on “moral conscience” grounds. This provision is particularly peculiar, since the only doctors that perform medically assisted reproduction procedures are ones that have undergone the relevant training to acquire this specialization on their own accord.
As to the issue of a woman’s (or a trans man’s) right to not be burdened with an unwanted pregnancy and the upbringing of a child they are not ready or willing to bring into the world, the Greek Medical Code of Ethics once again prioritizes the doctor’s “moral conscience” over the patient’s welfare. More specifically, the law states:
Article 31 – “Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy”
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“A physician may invoke the principles of his or her personal moral conscience and refuse to perform or participate in the procedure of voluntary termination of pregnancy—except where there is an unavoidable risk to the life of the pregnant person or a risk of serious and permanent harm to her health. In such a case, the physician must obtain the informed and reasoned agreement of another competent physician.”
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“The physician is obliged to provide counseling support to the woman requesting the service before proceeding with the termination of pregnancy.”
As we have already explained, by “moral conscience”, the lawmaker really means “religious beliefs”. The aforementioned problematic provisions are really all about the state allowing the doctor to force their religious obsessions upon a pregnant person and – if applicable – their close family. It is all about the state allowing the doctor to weaponize their religious dogma in order to strip their patients of their agency, their right to choose if and / or when they will become pregnant, if and / or when they will carry a pregnancy to term, even their right to decide if and / or when they will start a family. We must also remind that unwanted pregnancies come with numerous economic, vocational, emotional / psychological, intra-family, and social / societal implications that the lawmaker decided to ignore.
Now, let us examine the second passage that obliges the doctor to provide “counseling support” to the pregnant woman. It is a masterpiece of vague writing, crafted to give doctors the widest possible berth as to the interpretation of what constitutes “counseling support”. This way, the doctor is given the green light to exert emotional and psychological pressure, intimidation and shaming on the pregnant person (usually with heavy religious overtones), even to bring extremist religious groups on board. Sadly, we are not overstating matters. In 2020, what we are warning against took place at the Patissia Health Center, where a pregnant woman was denied an abortion.[2] There are also numerous other, extremely troubling, reports from other public healthcare establishments all over Greece, with pregnant women not only being denied their reproductive rights, but also be subjected to all sorts of abuse by the personnel – and all this, with the blessing of the Greek Medical Code of Ethics, since bullying, intimidating, and shaming pregnant women out of the procedures they need can be construed as “counseling support.”
This shameful treatment of pregnant persons in Greece must end. Women, and pregnancy-capable persons in general, are not reproductive machines and their bodies do not belong to the state or the clergy. Our official position is simple: healthcare, reproductive, and / or family planning rights are inalienable fundamental rights and no one, whether an individual, an organization, or a government, has the right to deprive anyone of them. As Pirates, we stand for bodily autonomy; we stand for people’s agency and freedom. The current Greek Medical Code of Ethics allows religious fundamentalists within the medical community to violate these rights and force their own religious dogma on others, and this must end now.
The Pirate Party of Greece demands and proposes an immediate reformation of the Greek Medical Code of Ethics. Greece and other EU member states cannot invoke their ostensibly pro-rights, pro-democracy, pro-liberty European acquis and, at the same time, give such outrageous power to doctors and religious fundamentalists to trample on the rights, dignity, and lives of pregnant persons and their families. We are outraged to see brazen far-right governments like Meloni’s in Italy not only allow doctors to force their own religious fanaticism on pregnant persons, but also, under the false pretext of “counseling”, facilitate their harassment by opponents of their reproductive rights.[3] Below, we present our proposals for much-needed amendments to the Greek Medical Code of Ethics:
Article 2 – “The Practice of Medicine as a Profession of Service”
Paragraph 5: “The physician shall have a duty to place the health and well-being of the patient above their personal beliefs and to perform all lawful medical acts with conscientiousness, sensitivity, compassion, empathy, and responsibility, taking into account scientific evidence and the patient’s needs.”
Article 30 – “Medically Assisted Human Reproduction”
Paragraph 5: Repealed
Recital: These services are provided exclusively by specialized physicians who have willingly pursued the relevant training and specialization. Therefore, a conscience clause is unnecessary.
Article 31 – “Voluntary Termination of Pregnancy”
Repealed.
New wording, as follows: “The physician shall provide counseling support, placing the needs of the pregnant individual requesting their services above their own personal beliefs. The exclusive purpose and scope of the counseling shall be the protection of the health and well-being of the pregnant individual. Any form of psychological or emotional pressure directed at the pregnant individual is strictly prohibited.”
Recital: A clear, patient-centric, scope and purpose for the “counseling support” is necessary to prevent and outlaw abuses by religiously-biased and / or gender-biased doctors.
Article 36 (formerly Article 38) – “Sanctions”
Proposed amendment to Paragraph 2:
“Furthermore, any physician who violates the provisions of Articles 2(5), 6(4,5), 19(5–7), 24(4), 28(9), 30(4), and 31 shall be subject to temporary revocation of their medical license and temporary suspension from any position held in the public sector for no less than two (2) years, as well as a monetary fine ranging from fifty thousand (50,000) to two hundred thousand (200,000) euros. The penalty shall be imposed by decision of the Minister of Health, following an opinion from the National Council of Medical Ethics and Deontology, which must be issued within twenty (20) days of the relevant request. In the event of a repeat violation, the physician’s license shall be permanently revoked, and the physician shall be permanently removed from any public sector position.”
Besides the amendments we propose to the problematic provisions, we are introducing gender-inclusive language (“pregnant person”), since not all people who can become pregnant identify as women. Furthermore, we are limiting the scope and purpose of the “counseling support” to ensure that it is actual counseling and not religious indoctrination, intimidation, shaming or other abuse of the patient’s dignity, freedom, and rights. Religious coercion has no place at all in the practice of medicine. Finally, we are introducing a harsher set of sanctions, to facilitate the removal of abusive doctors from the medical community.
Sources (in Greek):
[1] ΙΑΤΡΙΚΟΣ ΣΥΛΛΟΓΟΣ ΑΘΗΝΩΝ Kώδικας Ιατρικής Δεοντολογίας ΝΟΜΟΣ ΥΠ’ ΑΡΙΘMO 3418/2005 [ΦΕΚ Α’ 287]. (n.d.). Archived at: https://web.archive.org/web/20250617162228/https://www.isathens.gr/images/nomoi/kodikas_iatrikis_dentologias_2025.pdf.
[2] in.gr. (2020). Απίστευτη καταγγελία: Αρνήθηκαν άμβλωση σε γυναίκα στο Κέντρο Υγείας Πατησίων. [online] Available at: https://www.in.gr/2020/01/15/greece/apisteyti-kataggelia-arnithikan-amvlosi-se-gynaika-sto-kentro-ygeias-patision/.
[3] Giuffrida, A. (2024). Italy passes measures to allow anti-abortion activists to enter abortion clinics. The Guardian. [online] 16 Apr. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/apr/16/italy-passes-measures-to-allow-anti-abortion-activists-to-enter-abortion-clinics.
