‘Ethics code’ no longer to ‘get in the way’ for doctors
A new report from the Iona Institute stunningly is headlined, “Irish Medical Council lifts ban on doctors deliberately killing patients.”
And then it assures readers, “You have not read the headline on this piece incorrectly. In a huge and almost unnoticed change to the code of conduct that governs doctors in Ireland, new ethical guidelines from the Irish Medical Council no longer include a prohibition against the deliberate killing of a patient.”
The report documents that the ban on doctors “deliberately killing” patients is old-age, dating back to Hippocrates in Ancient Greece.
But the report explained a “new” code took effect January 1, in which the line, “You must not take part in the deliberate killing of a patient,” is eliminated.
The report explained it was in the “End of Life Care” section of the most recent, “Guide to Professional Conduct and Ethics for Medical Practitioners.
It WAS.
“This line is now gone and has not been replaced by anything similar,” the report said.
“It seems perfectly clear what is happening. If the government legalizes euthanasia, the ethics code for doctors will no longer get in the way.”
It did explain that general practitioners were not consulted before the change was made.
“The new code makes other changes that are almost as bad. For example, it weakens the previous section on conscientious objection. In addition, it no longer forbids doctors from taking part in human embryo experimentation or in human cloning,” the report charged.
It warned, “The new code is a gigantic step backwards from an ethical point of view. No longer telling doctors that they cannot take part in the deliberate killing of patients is not medical ethics, it is the opposite.”
A report at the Christian Institute noted the council was coming “under fire” for its moves.
It reported, “The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) and the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland have both made clear their complete opposition to legalizing assisted suicide. They are urging parliamentarians to pursue excellence in end-of-life care rather than legalize assisted suicide.”
