Catholic Medical Quarterly Volume 71(4) November 2021

News

BMA Changes its position on assisted suicide

Elderly person being fedAt its annual representative meeting the BMA voted by the narrowest of margins to move to a position of neutrality on Assisted Suicide. This is a very grave outcome for the frail, the elderly and the vulnerable.

The Medical Ethics Alliance (www.medethicsalliance.org.uk) put out the following press release:

Doctors cannot be “neutral”, about killing the sick.
The majority was only 49 votes for, and 48 against. Hardly a convincing margin.
The last time the policy was changed to neutral it was changed back after widespread disagreement amongst the membership, at a subsequent ARM
This new policy is hardly well supported and does not seem to be directed either at patients or healthcare professionals. The leadership make no attempt to disguise the fact that it is directed at Parliament.
Dr. Anthony Cole JP., FRCP (Edin),. FRCPCH
Chairman