Doctors' Group urges Canadian Medical Association to defend conscience rights on assisted death

HALIFAX, Aug. 24, 2015 /CNW/ - Larry Worthen, Executive Director of the Christian Medical and Dental Society of Canada (CMDS), urged the Canadian Medical Association (CMA), today, to support their members' freedom of conscience when they meet on Tuesday, August 25th, to consider the CMA's position on assisted death and conscience rights.

Said Larry Worthen, "Many physicians have moral convictions that will not allow them to participate in medical aid in dying. There should be no discrimination against a physician for her refusal to participate in medical aid in dying for moral or conscience reasons. That is why the Christian Medical and Dental Society of Canada urges the Canadian Medical Association to adopt the third option being presented to them by CMA staff: that physicians have a 'duty to provide complete information on all options and advise on how to access a separate, central information, counselling and referral service.'"

The Canadian Medical Association will be discussing a policy framework called "Principled Based Approach to Assisted Dying in Canada" at their general council meeting in Halifax on August 25^th. Section 5.2 of this document deals with physician conscience protection and assisted death. CMA staff will present four options for dealing with conscientious objection, and delegates will be polled on which option should be included in official CMA policy.

All options deal with the situation in which a physician is not able, for reasons of conscience, to participate in physician-assisted death. The four options are:

1. Duty to refer directly to a non-objecting physician;
2. Duty to refer to an independent third party;
3. Duty to provide complete information on all options and advise on how to access a separate, central information, counselling, and referral service; or
4. Patient self-referral to a separate central information, counseling, and referral service.

Options '1' and '2' require the objecting physician to refer. Many physicians will have moral convictions that assisted death is never in the best interests of the patient, while others may object to assisted death because of the particular circumstances of the patient. A referral is essentially a recommendation for the procedure, and facilitates its delivery. A requirement to refer means that physicians will be forced to act against their consciences.

Option '4' allows the patient to directly access assisted death, but does not necessarily provide an opportunity for counseling by a physician who has a longer term relationship with the patient.  

"Option '3' allows the discussion of all options to occur with the patient and the physician who knows them. If, after considering all of the options, the patient still wants assisted death, the patient may access that directly. This option ensures that all reasonable alternatives are considered. It respects the autonomy of the patient to access all legal services while at the same time protecting physicians' conscience rights," added Mr. Worthen.

Option '3' is a summary of a proposal submitted to the CMA by three organizations: the Christian Medical and Dental Society, the Canadian Federation of Catholic Physician Societies, and Canadian Physicians for Life. Taken together, they represent more than 3000 Canadian physicians.  

CMDS (Christian Medical and Dental Society) represents some 1600 physicians and dentists across Canada (cmdscanada.org).

You can view the complete proposal to the CMA at:
http://www.cmdscanada.org/my_folders/CPSO_CPSS/CMA_Conscience_Protection_Proposal_Aug_3.pdf .

SOURCE Christian Medical and Dental Society of Canada

Larry Worthen at 902-880-2495