Vital Conflicts explores three of the most important, controversial, and contemporary issues in bioethics. It grapples with the legal, and the ethical, discussions arising from the Dobbs decision that overturned the constitutional right to abortion defined by Roe v. Wade. It argues that all human beings—from the very beginning of their lives to the end—have inherent dignity and deserve to be protected in law, a view that should be accepted by all people of good will.

The suffering caused by gender dysphoria can be debilitating and life threatening. This book explores this issue and offers an ethics of compassionate care that does justice to the vulnerability of those suffering from gender dysphoria. It presents a defense of the teaching of the Catholic Bishops of the United States, England and Wales on gender treatments that are in accordance with faith, but also reasonable.

The book also treats claims of conscience, both conscientious objection and conscientious provision. Is there a contradiction in being in favor of conscientious objection but opposed to conscientious provision? Are objection and provision symmetrical? Kaczor defends conscientious objection in health care but also criticizes the claim that conscientious provision in health care is justified.

“A rigorous, comprehensive, state-of-the-art critique of philosophical arguments concerning abortion, gender interventions, and conscientious objection in medicine.  The whole book is impressive, but I am particularly taken by Kaczor’s convincing demonstration that the right not to provide procedures one considers unconscionable is utterly unlike the so-called right to provide procedures one approves.  I cannot understate its importance.”  
—J. Budziszewski, Ph.D., Author, What We Can’t Not Know

“A compelling, comprehensive, and compassionate treatment of pressing contemporary bioethical issues imbued with the intellectual, moral, and medical wisdom of Catholicism. Kaczor brings clarity and light to issues too often left in haze and darkness. While addressing contemporary critics, Kaczor shows the continued vibrancy of the venerable, vital, and veritably Catholic tradition.”
—Thomas Cavanaugh, Ph.D., Author, Hippocrates’ Oath and Asclepius’ Snake