Abstract

Is it morally acceptable for an anesthesiologist to cooperate with the immoral act of another physician? For example, can he administer anesthesia to a woman undergoing a cesarean section when it will be followed by a sterilization surgery? The cooperation in this case is unlikely to be formal, but even material cooperation may occasion sin and impede witness to moral truth and therefore should be avoided unless doing so is likely to result in grave harm to oneself or others. In this case, refusing to materially cooperate by deferring anesthesia would cause great harm to the mother and baby.