The Joffe Bill

[heed]

Ok guys - lets stir things up a bit.....

As many of you will know, an email was circulated around the med school today informing us students of an opportunity to "Save thousands of lives in one lunchtime" by going along to a letter writing session where letters of protest will be sent to the 700 members of the house of lords due to hear the second reading of Lord Joffe's physician assisted suicide (PAS) bill next month.

The bill proposes a statutory change in the law regarding ending the life of a patient in our care: by attempting the legalization of physician assisted suicide in the UK (ie patient requests medical help in ending their own life).

The authors argue that by legalizing PAS, we would be opening the floodgates to euthanasia, and making manslaughter just another "job on the doctors list" and in in doing so would turn our backs on centuries of caring wisdom::


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Dear All


The Joffe Bill which seeks to permit 'Physician Assisted Suicide' is to have
its second reading in the House of Lords in May.

If passed, there is the chance that it may change the law to allow doctors
to prescribe lethal drugs to patients who have expressed a wish to die. This
would open the door wide open to Euthanasia.

Some Glasgow doctors are students are hosting a protest letter sending
meeting this Saturday, the 22nd of April at 9 Roxburgh St (just off byres
road, opposite Woolworths) between 12 and 4. We aim to send the protest
letter to EVERY member of the house of Lords and need your help to do so.

Although this is being organised by the Christian Medical Fellowship, it is
open to people of any faith or none who are concerned about the future of
our country should this bill become law.

This has implications for ALL in the medical profession.

It would change what is currently manslaughter into another 'job' on the
doctor's list

It would overturn thousands of years of caring wisdom. Every code of ethics
from Hippocrates to the current GMC regulations has forbidden doctors from
ending life.

It would expose a great many vulnerable people to a previously unknown
pressure to request PAS.

It would start us along a slippery slope and endanger the lives of those who
cannot protest against doctor's decisions. In Flanders where adult
euthanasia is permitted, doctors began practising euthanasia on babies
DESPITE THIS BEING ILLEGAL. There are now moves to legalise euthanasia in
the paediatric population.

It would make it difficult to practice within the NHS. One friend of mine
was told not to apply for a gynaecology job if he was not willing to carry
out abortions. How difficult might it become to work as a doctor if we are
not willing to hasten the demise of those entrusted to our care?

Most of the Lords are ill informed about this Bill and will probably side
with the BMA which has refused to offer a moral stance on this issue. As the
doctors of tomorrow, your influence is considerable. We are aiming to write
a protest letter and send one to EVERY member of the House of Lords. There
are over 700 members and we would value your help in sending them off.

We propose to host a lunch'n'letters event at (address removed for confidentiality)
The plan is simple but world changing

Turn up
Eat your free lunch
Watch the Care not killing DVD at leisure (optional- can get you a copy if
you like)
Put some letters in envelopes and send them off.
Save the lives of your patients

Food, envelopes, the protest letter and stamps will be provided.

If you want to learn more try either the cmf website ( www.cmf.org.uk) or
the 'care not killing' website.(www.carenotkilling.org.uk)



And remember..

All that is required for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing


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SO, as the doctors of tomorrow to which this letter refers - what are our views (on the letter and on the practice of PAS) ??

Lets see where this one goes........

[LaineyPB]

Ok Andrew, I'll bite!!

Well, I've read quite a bit on the bill and personally I support it. I appreciate that it will have opposition though but my belief is that a terminally ill patient should have the choice. Those who don't support it, need not choose to use it but for others it is a solution that they would seek.
Speaking personally, (not as a would be doctor) I would like to have the choice if I was given a terminal diagnosis.

[heed]

i would agree with you elaine - surely it would be to turn our backs on 1000s of years of medical wisdom, to deny a competent patient their right to self determination (and the right to have that opinion respected by those responsible for their care.) ?

I also take issue with the thinly veiled implication that those of us if in favour of patient autonomy (and therefore PAS) are evil, and those against it occupy some mythical moral high ground

At what point does the right to choose become the doctor's and not the competent patient's? Do we grant autonomy so long as the outcome of our patient's autonomous choice does not offend our sensibilities? (thereby imposing the doctors will (or otherwise) on the patient).

If PAS were legal, a patient may not request it if they didnt want it - if PAS stays illegal, we deny that option to those who may wish it.