The College of Psychiatrists has warned against [1] assisted suicide legislation [2], saying it is not compatible [3] with good medical care and its introduction could place vulnerable patients at risk.
With a special Oireachtas committee due to examine the ‘Dying with Dignity’ Bill (2020) in the new year, the College of Psychiatrists has published a position paper [4] on physician assisted suicide and euthanasia (PAS-E).
It says allowing the practice could have “unintended consequences” and would go against traditional Irish Medical Council ethics guidelines.
Even when safeguards are introduced to ensure that the choice for induced death is made with clear knowledge and full consent, intentions regarding induced death can often fluctuate over short periods.
It also warned that the drugs used to kill the patient can themselves result in considerable and protracted suffering.
The position paper also says doctors should not be “coerced” to act against their values adding: “Physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia are contrary to the efforts of psychiatrists, other mental health staff and the public to prevent deaths by suicide.”
The report considers ethical issues surrounding assisted dying and says grounding it in legislation could itself prove problematic.