Catholic Medical Quarterly Volume 75(1) February 2025
Correspondence
Conscientious objection and assisted suicide legislation
Sir
I had a cursory look at the 38 pages of the Leadbetter bill, and found a troublesome clause
Clause 23(1) appears to be the conscience clause. “No registered medical practitioner or other health professional is under any duty (whether arising from any contract, statute or otherwise) to participate in the provision of assistance in accordance with this Act.
But right at the start of the bill about initial discussions with doctors there is a clause which states (clause 4(1): “No registered medical practitioner is under any duty to raise the subject of the provision of assistance in accordance with this Act with a person.” But earler in Section 3 it deals with if person asks for assistance to end their life; and in subsection 5 of clause 3 is this: “A registered medical practitioner who is unwilling or unable to conduct the preliminary discussion mentioned under subsection (3) must, [my emphasis] if requested by the person to do so, refer them to another registered medical practitioner whom the first practitioner believes is willing and able to conduct that discussion.” The grave concern is this important legal word MUST refer to another…etc
Although clause 3 is in relation to the initial discussion about assisted dying, it is in effect legally requiring us to co-operate in evil?
But did we not get the GMC to clarify this need to refer in relation to abortion?
Fr Michael Jarmulowicz, MB.BS., BSc, KSG