Irish psychiatrists reject assisted suicide in “powerful” joint statement

The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland, representing 1,000 doctors, has warned that assisted suicide is contrary to medicine and palliative care.

A paper published by the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland opposes the Republic of Ireland’s so-called “Dignity in Dying Bill”, which is currently under consideration and is set to be reviewed by an Oireachtas committee this year.

“Assisted dying is contrary to the efforts of psychiatrists, other mental health staff and the public to prevent deaths by suicide”, the psychiatrists warned in a joint statement.

The Dignity in Dying Bill, they continued, “is likely to place vulnerable people at risk – many requests for assisted dying stem from issues such as fear of being a burden or fear of death rather than from intractable pain…

“Improvements in existing services should be deployed to manage these issues.”

Dr Eric Kelleher, who helped author the paper, added: “Not only is assisted dying or euthanasia not necessary for a dignified death, but techniques used to bring about death can themselves result in considerable and protracted suffering.”

Last year, over 2,000 “gravely concerned” healthcare professionals signed an open letter opposing assisted dying in the Republic of Ireland, as reported by SPUC.

Catholic bishops have also slammed the proposed legislation as “a failure of compassion on the part of society”.

SPUC comment

A SPUC spokesperson said: “Assisted suicide, if passed into law, will institute a culture of burden imposed on the vulnerable, which many will needlessly fall prey to.

“This is in direct opposition to the practice of medicine and professional care, which the College of Psychiatrists of Ireland, among others, rightly recognises and warns against. Their statement is powerful and must be heeded before it is too late.

“Should this bill, as well as others in the UK and elsewhere, be passed, the efforts of doctors and psychiatrists, as well as the medical profession in general, will be severely undermined, to the point of doing irreparable harm.”

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Irish psychiatrists reject assisted suicide in “powerful” joint statement

The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland, representing 1,000 doctors, has warned that assisted suicide is contrary to medicine and palliative care.

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