British doctors want to raise the issue of assisted suicide with their patients.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Jessica Elgot who is the Deputy Political Editor with the Guardian has reported on January 15 that the British Medical Association will urge the government committee that is studying the British assisted suicide bill, to permit doctors to introduce assisted suicide with their patients.

This is important because pro-death doctors will readily bring up the option of assisted suicide. Jurisdictions where only the patient can bring up assisted suicide and doctors cannot introduce it, have lower assisted suicide death rates.

Elgot reported:

The British Medical Association, which will give evidence to a committee of MPs scrutinising Kim Leadbeater’s private member’s bill, has said doctors must be allowed to raise assisted dying sensitively with patients if it becomes law.

The BMA said it would be “an unacceptable intrusion of legislation into the privacy of the consulting room”

The BMA’s official position is neutral on whether assisted dying should pass – but the union has agreed a collective position that doctors should not be put in the position where they are barred from raising it with patients.

Elgot also reported that at least 30 members of the British parliament who voted in support of assisted suicide at second reading have stated that they may oppose assisted suicide in the final vote if the bill allows doctors to raise the issue with their patients.

More information on the UK assisted suicide bill.

• Care Not Killing Alliance seeks submissions concerning the UK assisted suicide bill (Link).
• Assisted suicide is not the answer to the NHS financial crisis (Link).
• The British assisted suicide bill can be defeated (Link).
• The British parliament passes assisted suicide bill at second reading (Link).