Today, the BMA — the largest representative body/union for doctors in the UK — voted in favour of taking “a position of neutrality on assisted dying, including physician-assisted dying.”
The vote was painfully close: 49% voted FOR “neutrality” — 48% voted AGAINST, and 3% ABSTAINED. Every simpleton knows that doctors cannot possibly be “neutral” about a patient committing suicide. Doctors cannot be “neutral” when the profession is tasked to provide and supervise the poisons used by patients to kill themselves.
This decision provides enormous support for the introduction of Assisted Suicide to England and Wales (Baroness Meacher’s Bill is before the House of Lords: Scotland has their own legislation.) This vote will be used to brainwash the British people that AS is “just fine.” It will be used to bully politicians into voting in favour of the Bill.
The psychological persuasion will come in many forms. Humans are social creatures and one of the easiest forms of persuasion is the ‘Asch Conformity Syndrome’ which has been shown to work repeatedly in group dynamics. (Also, once Assisted Suicide has been introduced, it will be a small step to add Voluntary Euthanasia.)
The Nazi propaganda chief, Joseph Goebbels described “The Big Lie”:
If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.
All is not lost
This is a devastating blow: but Britain has been in a pickle before! Two countries can provide good example for the UK.
The Canada Medical Association also voted to be “neutral.” That allowed the legalization of Assisted Suicide and Voluntary Euthanasia in Canada without any coordinated opposition. Since 2016 many of the initial tight restrictions have been removed and by 2023 doctors in Canada will be able to euthanise those suffering from mental illnesses alone, legally. The lesson from Canada is that remaining opposition must unite and fight the introduction of Bill 13 HL — now!
The UK should take great encouragement from Ireland where the Dying with Dignity Bill 2020 failed. The Justice Committee of the Oireachtas (Ireland’s Parliament) received over 1,400 submissions which came from private citizens and professional organizations such as the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland; Irish Palliative Medicine Consultants Association; Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland; Irish Society of Physicians in Geriatric Medicine; College of Psychiatrists of Ireland; Irish Healthcare Professionals for Dignity in Living and Dying, amongst others.
There are about 300,000 doctors in the UK with just over half being members of the BMA. My hope is that many will immediately resign from the BMA and join a union which opposes AS. (The next largest union is the Hospital Consultants and Specialist Association, which appears to have no stance on AS.)
For more details on the Assisted Dying Bill 2021 (Bill 13 HL) please follow the link.
Doctors and nurses must remain our patient’s advocate, counsellor, and caregiver.
We must shield our patients from coercion. We must treat suicidal patients appropriately: not kill them.
Assisted Suicide is not “end-of-life care.” It is the Ending of Life.
Dr. Kevin Hay
MRCPI MRCGP (inactive) FCFP
Kevin was born in the UK, graduated from University College Dublin and now works as a Specialist Family Physician in rural Alberta, Canada. He has been writing on Assisted Suicide & Voluntary Euthanasia for the past 5 years. You can follow him on Twitter @kevinhay77.
To what extent are decisions on the right to life dictated by emotions rather than logic? Dr. Kevin Hay takes a look.