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The Catholic Medical Association (CMA) issued a statement earlier this week on MP Kim Leadbeater’s "Assisted Dying Bill", which is currently passing through parliament. Addressing people across our community of faith, the Association said:

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"Catholic Moral Teaching holds that it is always wrong to make a direct attack on innocent human life. Assisted suicide constitutes such an attack and can therefore never be condoned..."For Christians and non-Christians alike, the ancient, fundamental principle of absolute respect for human life has always been officially upheld. In the Hippocratic Oath which dates to several hundred years before the time of Christ; it states: 'I will give no deadly drug to any, nor will I counsel such.' Legalised assisted suicide would overturn the ethical basis of medicine and the other healthcare professions by requiring them to take the lives of their patients. The CMA would not endorse this under any circumstances and will always advocate for health-workers to be allowed to act in accordance with their Christian principles."

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The true and ethical meaning of assisted dying is encompassed by palliative care medicine and nursing. We can be justly proud that this field of healthcare was founded by Dame Cicely Saunders in the UK and is widely recognised as being the best in the world. Unfortunately, palliative care is extremely poorly resourced by the government and the greater part of funding is from charitable donations.

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"The CMA believes that adequate medical and nursing care during a person’s final illness is at least as important as at any other stage of life. Cicely Saunders famously reassured the dying that, 'You matter because you are you, and you matter to the end of your life. We will do all we can not only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die.' However, it may prove difficult or impossible to maintain this compassionate approach given the position Kim Leadbeater has taken."

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‍You can read the Catholic Medical Association's statement in full on the Bishops' Conference website. To read an in-depth analysis of the Bill, click here and visit the CMA website.

‍Below, you can watch a discussion on the Terminally Ill Adults Bill chaired by Baroness Hollins, President of the Catholic Union, with contributions from Dr Matthew Doré, Professor Peter Hindmarsh, Dr Philip Howard, and Professor Julian Hughes.

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