Abstract

Good intentions have propelled conservative-minded scientists and medical practitioners to argue that certain medical interventions may have dangerous and unintended consequences. Such positions are motivated by a hope that showing the negative consequences of immoral acts, such as abortion and sexual promiscuity, will help curtail the behavior. Unfortunately, when these positions are supported by faulty science—as are claims of a reputed link between certain vaccines and autism, and questions about the safety of the human papillomavirus vaccine, for example—they weaken the already tenuous relationship between Catholic medical professionals and the generally liberal scientific establishment.