Bulletin 10: Misinformation about Doctor Pressure to Assist

12th May 2008

SuicideNo, in a recent bulletin to Members of Parliament made the assertion that if Physician Assisted Dying (PAD) were legalised, doctors would be forced to assist sufferers to die on threat of legal action by the sufferer, which will result in unwilling participation. They said:

"Physician-assisted suicide legislation would place pressure on doctors to assist in the killing of the patient, or face litigation."
 

The claim is completely false.
 

The Medical Treatment (Physician Assisted Dying) Bill 2008 provides free choice for all those involved…as well as those not involved.

Under the provisions of the Bill:

• A doctor, nurse, pharmacist, facility or other health care provider has free choice as to whether they participate or don’t participate in assisting a request to die.
• It is illegal to subject anyone to censure, disciplinary action or prosecution for either choosing or declining to participate in providing assistance.
• The only exception to these rules is to allow a health care facility to censure or discipline a doctor for providing assistance in its facility if such assistance was known to the doctor to be prohibited by the facility.

The Bill specifically provides for people to act in accordance with their beliefs and values without fear, which current law does not.

False and misleading claims from SuicideNo do not help you to make balanced, evidence-based decisions about the Medical Treatment (Physician Assisted Dying) Bill 2008. We urge you to assess the Bill on its merits rather than on unfounded accusations by those fundamentally opposed to choice.