Published on October 21, 2004 at 7:40 PM
Commenting on the survey on physician-assisted suicide commissioned by the Voluntary Euthanasia Society (VES), Chairman of the BMA Ethics Committee, Dr Michael Wilks, made the following statement:
"As the body representing doctors in the UK, the BMA is opposed to euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide because this is the view of the majority of its members.
VES' own survey results also demonstrate that doctors are opposed to euthanasia. When respondents were asked under what circumstances they thought the law should permit voluntary euthanasia, 53% answered 'under no circumstances' ? a clear majority.
Physician-assisted suicide has been debated many times at the BMA's annual meetings and on every occasion the membership has decided against calling for a change in the law.
Far from being in a 'muddle' the BMA is confident that it is projecting the majority viewpoint of doctors."
BMA written evidence to the House Of Lords Select Committee on the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill attached: http://www.bma.org.uk/ap.nsf/Content/AssistedDyingBill