Greater than 1,000 medical doctors have written to MPs urging them to vote towards the assisted dying invoice, calling it a “real threat to both patients and the medical workforce”.
The invoice – which is because of be voted on by MPs for a remaining time on 20 June – would permit terminally in poor health sufferers from England and Wales to finish their lives “on their own terms”, offering they’ve a life expectancy of six months or much less.
A separate invoice is at the moment passing by means of the Scottish parliament.
However medical doctors from throughout the NHS have written to MPs, warning them of their “serious concerns”.
Notable signatories embrace Sir John Burn, a geneticist who has led many years of most cancers analysis, Sir Shakeel Qureshi, who was knighted for his work in paediatric cardiology, Professor Aileen Keel, the previous deputy chief medical officer for Scotland, and Baroness Finlay, a Welsh physician, professor of palliative drugs and member of the Home of Lords.
The letter is signed by 4 medical doctors who maintain OBEs, two who’ve MBEs, and one CBE.
The letter says that whereas a debate is required on finish of life care, “this bill is not the answer”.
It raises issues that not sufficient proof has been heard from medical doctors, folks with disabilities and different marginalised teams.
“This bill will widen inequalities, it provides inadequate safeguards and, in our collective view, is simply not safe,” it goes on to say, calling it a “deeply flawed bill”.
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Professor Colin Rees, a member of the Royal Faculty of Physicians working group on assisted dying, mentioned it was the “single most important piece of healthcare legislation in 50 or 60 years”.
“It will have very profound consequences for the future and many doctors are really concerned that members of parliament are not hearing the views of the medical profession.”
He mentioned many medical doctors who stay impartial, or who even help the precept of assisted dying, stay involved in regards to the invoice.
“We don’t think it’s a bill that is safe, that protects patients, protects families, and protects the medical workforce.”
‘No safeguards against coercion’
One of many areas of concern raised by the medics was the lack to correctly establish sufferers liable to coercive management.
“Vulnerable patients are at risk of coercion with women, victims of domestic abuse, and the elderly at particular risk,” the letter says.
It additionally warned it might widen social inequalities, with sufferers who do not need the sources for a snug dying extra prone to go for assisted dying.
“People who struggle to pay for heating or care or wish to preserve their assets for their children are at high risk of choosing to die if the option is available and the alternative is more difficult.”
Information from the Annual Report of Dying With Dignity from Oregon in 2024 discovered 9.3% of these individuals who select assisted deaths accomplish that for monetary causes.
‘Doctors get it wrong 40% of the time’
Considerations have additionally been raised across the inaccuracies of medical prognosis.
“Research demonstrates that doctors get prognosis wrong around 40% of the time,” the letter says.
“As such, patients may end up choosing an assisted death and losing what could have been happy and fulfilling months or years of life.”
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February: Why has the Assisted Dying Invoice divided opinions?
The invoice can also be a threat to households, the letter says, because it doesn’t require medical doctors to talk with relations.
“A close relative may know nothing until they get a call to arrange collection of their relative’s body,” it says, including that there isn’t a mechanism for a member of the family to lift issues a couple of request.
The letter additionally addressed the potential influence on the medical workforce.
Proof from the Netherlands suggests “doctors feel pressurised when dealing with patient requests for assisted deaths, meaning that doctors may end up having involvement despite it being against their principles, because they want to help their patients”.
