35. Underlines that even when legal, abortion is often prevented or delayed by obstacles to the access of appropriate services, such as the widespread use of conscientious objection, medically unnecessary waiting periods or biased counselling; stresses that Member States should regulate and monitor the use of conscientious objection in the key professions, so as to ensure that reproductive health care is guaranteed as an individual’s right, while access to lawful services is ensured and appropriate public referrals systems of good qu ...[+++]ality are in place; stresses that the right to conscientious objection is an individual right and not a collective policy, and that advice and counselling must be confidential and non-judgmental; is concerned that medical staff are coerced into refusing SRHR services in religion-based hospitals and clinics throughout the EU;

The Court of Justice has identified several potential considerations: the risk of seriously undermining the financial balance of a social security system, the objective of maintaining on grounds of public health a balanced medical and hospital service open to all and the objective of maintaining treatment capacity or medical competence on national territory, essential for the public health, and even the survival of the population.

5. Without prejudice to points (a) to (c) of paragraph 6, the Member State of affiliation may not refuse to grant prior authorisation when the patient is entitled to the healthcare in question in accordance with Article 7, and when this healthcare cannot be provided on its territory within a time limit which is medically justifiable, based on an objective medical assessment of the patient’s medical condition, the history and probable course of the patient’s illness, the degree of the patient’s pain and/or the nature of the patient’s disability at the time when the request for ...[+++] authorisation was made or renewed.

The Court of Justice has identified several potential considerations: the risk of seriously undermining the financial balance of a social security system, the objective of maintaining on grounds of public health a balanced medical and hospital service open to all and the objective of maintaining treatment capacity or medical competence on national territory, essential for the public health, and even the survival of the population.

Medical data are understood as being limited to objective and verified medical facts and to undisputed medical knowledge that comply with medical data collection standards.

Medical data are understood as being limited to objective and verified medical facts and to undisputed medical knowledge that comply with medical data collection standards.