I write in response to the article in the Examiner Tuesday, April 11, with the headline ‘Fifty medics call for a block on new law to allow assisted dying’.

In it, a spokesperson for Manx Duty of Care and Dr Ben Harris comment about the majority of respondents to the recent consultation rejecting the passing of assisted dying legislation on the island.

The public consultation asked ‘in principle, do you agree or disagree that assisted dying should be permitted for terminally ill adults on the Isle of Man?’ and received a total of 3,316 responses, 49.61% of whom appeared to disagree.

It was made clear at the time that the consultation was not an opinion poll or referendum on the subject, but a method of determining people’s views on the proposed legislation, and some of the key clauses it would contain regarding eligibility and safeguards.

Dr Harris is the clinical director of Hospice Isle of Man.

Like many island residents, I have observed at first hand the wonderful care provided by the hospice to a family member, and in no way wish to detract from that.

However, even excellent palliative care does not always provide total relief from pain, anguish and discomfort at the end of life.

I consider the offer of assisted dying to be just one more option for end-of-life care, giving patients the autonomy to choose to die with dignity at a time and place of their choosing.

Dr Harris is also president of the Isle of Man Medical Society, which is aligned with the British Medical Association, which has a neutral stance, allowing clinicians to make their own minds up about assisted dying.

The article says a group of 50 health and social care workers (so, not only doctors) are calling for Dr Allinson’s Bill to be dropped, but I have yet to see any list of signatures behind this statement.

This means that many other people from the medical professions are in favour of allowing assisted dying, or at least hold a neutral position.

There will also be included in the Bill, a conscientious objection clause, so no one from Dr Harris’s group will be forced to take part in an assisted death.

Neither will any patient ever be coerced into opting for an assisted death, as there will be stringent safeguards in place to make sure that this doesn’t happen.

Vicky Christian

Local Group Organiser of My Death, My Decision

Onchan

Read another recent letter about this topic here.

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This letter was first published in the Isle of Man Examiner of April 18.