Cases and queries. When the pill is a medicine

Title

Language

English

Year

1968

Subject

Birth control pills

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

AMD •QUERIES^ WHEN THE PILL IS A MEDICINE If a woman has heavy or irregular periods or painful periods or sometimes has none, or if she has premenstrual tension or en dometriosis, bleeding between periods, excessive hairiness or pim ples (caused by an excess of androgenic hormones), or is ex cessively fat or is approaching the change of life, is she justified to take “pills” as therapeutic means though it will render con ception impossible? Some doctors say that not all abnormal occurrences in women are pathological cases. Now, is a doctor morally justified in pres cribing any treatment he likes, and that includes the pill, as thera peutic means to correct these abnormalities? 960 by nature a rather ingent power towards influencing the female organ ism and its functionality due to the potent elements in its composi tion. We may point to a threefold virtuality: a. As an anovulant, the pill is a contraceptive. It shall cause sterility for as long as it is used. Herein lays the serious objection against the pill from the moral viewpoint. b. On account of what they call rebound effect, this pharmaceu tical product may be used as a fertility pill. Thus considered, the pill, far from being objectionable, may bring happiness to couples who long for children. c. In view of the above mentioned potent effectivity of its ele ments, the pill may be used for curative purposes as a true medicine. From the stand of a Christian conscience, the morality of either prescribing the pill by doctors or of its use by the patient is condi tioned by the nature of this drug and its healing power as well as by the intention of |?oth doctor and patient. Just as a gun may be rightlyused in self defense or wrongly in unjust killing, the pill may be a licit medical remedy or, conversely, a seriously immoral contraceptive prac tice. 3. “Da locum medico” From the foregoing it becomes self evident that this whole business of discerning when the pill is a true medicine and when it is a mere contraceptive falls squarely on the competence of the medical profes sion. As the Scripture has prescribed long ago, “Then let the doctor take over—the Lord created him too—and do not let him leave you, for you need him” Eccli. 38:13. This is the attitude the priest should adopt. Two pre-requisites, however, should, of necessity, qualify the doc tor here, scientific competence and a right moral conscience. Thus the doctor will see to it that he prescribes a true medicine in that in stance, and likewise that untoward effects from to prolonged use of the drug are eliminated. 961 4. Doctor’s and patient’s intention This is an all important element in the moral aspect of this problem. All contraceptive intention must be excluded by both the doctor and by the patient and both should aim at remedying the ailment. The temporal sterilizing effect that will ensue should only be permitted in virtue of the serious necessity of curing the sickness. As Paul VI has stated in Humanae vitae: “The Church does not at all consider illicit the use of therapeutic means truly necessary to cure diseases of the organism, even if an impediment to procreation, which may be foreseen, should result there from, provided such impediment is not, for whatever motive, directly willed.” N. 15. • Quintin Ma. Garcia, O.P. ON THE ANTICIPATED MASS The Mass attendance on Saturday evening in parishes or on a vigil of a day of obligation is a privilege for those who cannot attend the Sunday Masses. Is it valid for those who can attend Sunday Masses but because this person or persons prefer to have free time; either to go outing, or to the movies, or to sleep most of the day? Can a person say without sinning: “I am free to select which is more convenient for me?” First let us see what is the purpose of this concession. (1) The Sacred Congregation of Rites in its Instruction on the Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery, n. 28 says: “Where permission has been granted by the Apostolic See to fulfill the Sunday obligation on the preceding Saturday evening, pastors should explain the mean ing of this permission carefully to the faithful and should ensure that the significance of Sundav is not thereby dimmed. The purpose of this concession is, in fact to enable Christians today to celebrate more easilv the dav of the Resurrection of the Lord.” (Bol. Ecl., Aug. 1967, p. 5”3, n. 28)

Date Issued

Volume XLII (Issue No. 477) December, 1968

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