Clauses in the Medical Board of Australia’s draft code of conduct — dubbed ‘Orwellian’ because they allegedly threaten doctors’ freedom of speech — have been ditched from the final version.

Released for consultation two years ago, the draft said that doctors, when making public statements, should “acknowledge the profession’s generally accepted views and indicate when [their] personal opinion differs”.

It was claimed this could effectively gag those who wanted to speak out against abortion or voluntary euthanasia.

There was also a clause stating that “only the patient and/or their family can determine whether or not care is culturally safe and respectful”.