(From The Times)
The statistic that your report of the Royal College of Physicians poll omits to mention is that only 24.6% of its members who voted stated the will to participate in assisting a suicide, while 55.1% definitely would not.
This suggests that many (40.5% of those who voted) who supported a change in the law to permit assisted dying consider it is acceptable as long as it falls on someone else’s conscience.
Many of my colleagues who are not prepared actively to take a life are disappointed that the RCP can withdraw its objection to an action that a majority of its members would not be willing to undertake.
Stephanie A. Amiel, FRCP,
Professor of Diabetes Research,
King’s College London
