Doctors should think very carefully before agreeing to medically assisted dying because of the “law” of unintended consequences. I am old enough to have been a very youthful gynaecologist in 1967 when David Steel introduced the abortion act. Anticipated terminations would be very low and closely monitored and conscientious objectors would be protected. Within months termination on demand was claimed as a woman’s right and no gynaecologist who refused to do terminations could pursue that career in the UK.
Similar trajectories occurred in the other liberal legislation of the 1960s. If this law is introduced, woe betide any practitioner who refuses to go along with tide of “people’s rights”.
Sincerely,
Alan Pentecost, retired gynaecologist
Bookham, Surrey
Rapid Response:
Re: Assisted dying: it’s time to poll UK doctors
Dear Sir,
Doctors should think very carefully before agreeing to medically assisted dying because of the “law” of unintended consequences. I am old enough to have been a very youthful gynaecologist in 1967 when David Steel introduced the abortion act. Anticipated terminations would be very low and closely monitored and conscientious objectors would be protected. Within months termination on demand was claimed as a woman’s right and no gynaecologist who refused to do terminations could pursue that career in the UK.
Similar trajectories occurred in the other liberal legislation of the 1960s. If this law is introduced, woe betide any practitioner who refuses to go along with tide of “people’s rights”.
Sincerely,
Alan Pentecost, retired gynaecologist
Bookham, Surrey
Competing interests: No competing interests