The British Medical Association today added another interested chapter to the debate on Assisted Dying within the UK. Last year on discussing Lord Joffe's Bill the BMA choose to take a neutral stance on the issue. Today while the BMA has decided not to ballot its entire membership the voting again indicated that the medical profession are against physician assisted suicide.
The BMA's annual conference in Belfast had a number of high level speakers present including Baroness Ilora Finlay, who urged the delegates to take a stance against the Bill, which was defeated in the House of Lords just six weeks ago.
Speakers spoke both for and against and promoted the idea that BMA should remain neutral. Chairman of the BMA, James Johnston commented that they had hoped for a decision by the House of Lords on the 12 May.
RADAR's Chief Executive, Kate Nash, said, 'Whilst the BMA continues to take a neutral position, the results of today's vote provides clear evidence that BMA members are against the Bill. 65% of those present believe that voluntary euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide should not be made legal in the UK.'
Those against Assisted Dying are campaigning avidly for the most vulnerable patients, especially terminally ill patients whose right to die could become a duty to die due. Those for the Bill believe some terminally ill patients do not have a dignified passing. However it is interesting to see that a strong 84% expressed the opinion that the ongoing improvement in palliative care does allow patients to die with dignity.