In a letter dated 17/12/2018, this charity stated: ‘As an organisation providing care, we are not seeking a change in the law to permit euthanasia or physician assisted suicide.  As such, any money raised through donations would not go towards campaigns to promote assisted dying.’

A statement on the Marie Curie website includes the following on Advance Decisions to Refuse      Treatment:

‘As part of our commitment to good end of life care we support the existing right of a competent patient to refuse consent to any medical treatment and recommend that patients participate in plans for their future care, including Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment, or their equivalent.’

SPUC promotes an ethical position in which the first duty of doctors is to give medical treatment in the best interests of the patient, not to follow directives which could lead to premature death of the patient. SPUC is also concerned that vulnerable people could be pressured to make Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment.

The Marie Curie website also includes the following statement on human embryo research:

‘The charity does not carry out or fund any experiments whatsoever on human embryos or human embryonic stem cells. Marie Curie has no plans to do so in the future.’ Member of the AMRC.