World Medical Association: Euthanasia is unethical.

This article wass published by OneNewsNow on October 31, 2019.

Alex Schadenberg

Some medical groups are unhappy with the World Medical Association (WMA) and its position on doctor-assisted suicide, and the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition says the subsequent split is probably for the best.

In spite of intense pressure, the WMA has reaffirmed its position against medical professionals helping patients kill themselves. Alex Schadenberg of the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition is pleased with the development.

“They made it very clear that these things are not within ethical healthcare," Schadenberg reports. "They also provided a new definition of euthanasia and assisted suicide, which [is] good because it makes the debate very clear to physicians what they are talking about."

The document also protects the conscience rights of physicians who object to the practice, which is important because doctors are being pressured into participating.

Still, not all doctor groups are pleased.

"The Dutch Medical Association and the Canadian Medical Associations have both left the World Medical Association because they feel that the WMA doesn't represent them," the Coalition head tells OneNewsNow. "Maybe the best thing for the WMA is to have these groups leave because they were only pressuring them to do something which was wrong."

The American Medical Association this year likewise reaffirmed its position against doctors helping their patient kill themselves, in spite of heavy pressure to change their policy.