'It's simply not safe': A thousand doctors write to MPs urging them to vote against assisted dying bill

More than 1,000 doctors person written to MPs urging them to ballot against the assisted dying bill, calling it a "real menace to some patients and the aesculapian workforce".

The measure - which is owed to beryllium voted connected by MPs for a last clip connected 20 June - would let terminally sick patients from England and Wales to extremity their lives "on their ain terms", providing they person a beingness expectancy of six months oregon less.

A abstracted measure is presently passing done the Scottish parliament.

But doctors from crossed the NHS person written to MPs, informing them of their "serious concerns".

Notable signatories see Sir John Burn, a geneticist who has led decades of crab research, Sir Shakeel Qureshi, who was knighted for his enactment successful paediatric cardiology, Professor Aileen Keel, the erstwhile lawman main aesculapian serviceman for Scotland, and Baroness Finlay, a Welsh doctor, prof of palliative medicine and subordinate of the House of Lords.

The missive is signed by 4 doctors who clasp OBEs, 2 who person MBEs, and 1 CBE.

The missive says that portion a statement is needed connected extremity of beingness care, "this measure is not the answer".

It raises concerns that not capable grounds has been heard from doctors, radical with disabilities and different marginalised groups.

"This measure volition widen inequalities, it provides inadequate safeguards and, successful our corporate view, is simply not safe," it goes connected to say, calling it a "deeply flawed bill".

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Professor Colin Rees, a subordinate of the Royal College of Physicians moving radical connected assisted dying, said it was the "single astir important portion of healthcare authorities successful 50 oregon 60 years".

"It volition person precise profound consequences for the aboriginal and galore doctors are truly acrophobic that members of parliament are not proceeding the views of the aesculapian profession."

He said galore doctors who stay neutral, oregon who adjacent enactment the rule of assisted dying, stay acrophobic astir the bill.

"We don't deliberation it's a measure that is safe, that protects patients, protects families, and protects the aesculapian workforce."

'No safeguards against coercion'

One of the areas of interest raised by the medics was the inability to decently place patients astatine hazard of coercive control.

"Vulnerable patients are astatine hazard of coercion with women, victims of home abuse, and the aged astatine peculiar risk," the missive says.

It besides warned it would widen societal inequalities, with patients who bash not person the resources for a comfy decease much apt to opt for assisted dying.

"People who conflict to wage for heating oregon attraction oregon privation to sphere their assets for their children are astatine precocious hazard of choosing to dice if the enactment is disposable and the alternate is much difficult."

Data from the Annual Report of Dying With Dignity from Oregon successful 2024 recovered 9.3% of those radical who take assisted deaths bash truthful for fiscal reasons.

'Doctors get it incorrect 40% of the time'

Concerns person besides been raised astir the inaccuracies of aesculapian prognosis.

"Research demonstrates that doctors get prognosis incorrect astir 40% of the time," the missive says.

"As such, patients whitethorn extremity up choosing an assisted decease and losing what could person been blessed and fulfilling months oregon years of life."

The measure is besides a hazard to families, the missive says, arsenic it does not necessitate doctors to talk with household members.

"A adjacent comparative whitethorn cognize thing until they get a telephone to put postulation of their relative's body," it says, adding that determination is nary mechanics for a household subordinate to rise concerns astir a request.

The missive besides addressed the imaginable interaction connected the aesculapian workforce.

Evidence from the Netherlands suggests "doctors consciousness pressurised erstwhile dealing with diligent requests for assisted deaths, meaning that doctors whitethorn extremity up having engagement contempt it being against their principles, due to the fact that they privation to assistance their patients".