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Royal College of Physicians urged to reject assisted suicide

  • Christian Medical Fellowship

The Christian Medical Fellowship has called on the Royal College of Physicians to respect the clear rejection of assisted suicide by its members and to maintain its historic position of opposing any change in the law. Hospital doctors have dropped their 13-year opposition to the concept of helping terminally ill patients die, following a controversial poll of its members. The Royal College of Physicians has now adopted a neutral stance on the issue of assisted dying.

The survey, carried out in February, asked fellows and members of the College their view on assisted suicide. However, in an unprecedented step, the College would change its stated policy position unless 60 per cent - initially two thirds - of respondents were against legalising assisted suicide. The decision to require a supermajority and a change in position prior to consulting members was challenged by four doctors in the High Court. The doctors argued that the changes were unfair and would not be acceptable from any other organisation that has a privileged position and influence over public policy.

Since the last time the College surveyed its members on the issue in 2014, the most prevalent view on what position the College should take with regard to assisted suicide remains that of opposition by a significant margin (roughly unchanged at 43.4%). The numbers wanting the college to take a neutral stance have actually dropped from 31% to 25%. Yet despite being the least supported option among RCP members, the College has decided to impose a neutral position.

Christian Medical Fellowship's CEO, Dr Mark Pickering, commented: "The Royal College of Physician's bizarre approach to this poll has meekly followed the agenda of those who wish to change the law. The actual poll results show once again that opposition to assisted suicide is clearly the most prevalent view of members. The College should now respect this and return to its previous position of opposing any changes in the law on assisted suicide.


The Christian Medical Fellowship (CMF) was founded seventy years ago and is an interdenominational organisation with over 5,000 British doctor, nurse and midwife members in all specialties. A registered charity, it is linked to about 80 similar bodies in other countries throughout the world.


Link: www.cmf.org.uk/

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