British Medical Association to move to neutral stance on assisted dying

Pulse

The BMA will move to a neutral stance on physician-assisted dying.

The change in position follows a narrow vote at the BMA Annual Representative Meeting (ARM), which h saw 49% of 302 delegates in favour, 48% against and 3% abstaining.

The motion said: ‘This meeting believes, in order to represent the diversity of opinion demonstrated in the survey of its membership, the BMA should move to a position of neutrality on assisted dying including physician-assisted dying.’

It follows a major BMA survey last year that found more doctors are in favour of seeing the BMA change its stance to support assisted dying than those who are against it. . .Another motion adding that provision should be made for ‘conscientious objection’ in any future UK legislation on assisted dying. . . was also passed. . . A section proposing that clinicians with a conscientious objection should refer the patient to another clinician was passed as a reference – meaning it will be looked at but not made official BMA policy . . . continue reading

One thought on “British Medical Association to move to neutral stance on assisted dying”

  1. The motion that clinicians who conscientiously object to lethally injecting their patients should refer them to colleagues willing to do so demonstrates that the BMA is not neutral on euthanasia/assisted suicide, even though the motion passed only as a “reference.” It appears that the BMA is emulating the Canadian Medical Association (CMA). The CMA has been trying to convince medical associations around the world to follow its lead in adopting a policy of “neutrality” on euthanasia and assisted suicide. However, the CMA is not neutral; it considers euthanasia and assisted suicide to be acceptable medical interventions (which is clearly implied in the BMA motion on referral). The management of the issue by CMA leadership has significantly disadvantaged Canadian physicians and other health care professionals who do not want to be involved with the procedures. See Canadian Medical Association and euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada; Euthanasia in Canada: A Cautionary Tale; The “Normalization” of Euthanasia in Canada: the Cautionary Tale Continues.

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