14 DAY TRIAL // A decision of neutrality concerning euthanasia was taken last year during the annual conference of the British Medical Association members. After 134 years of ban on euthanasia, it seemed that the medical team have finally come to the conclusion that anyone can decide for his/her own life.
Nevertheless, during this year's reunion of specialists in British Medical Association the last year's decision has been reversed again: 65% of the members voted against legalization of "voluntary death" or "medically assisted suicide" and only 35% voted for this practice to be allowed in hospitals.
But this was not a peaceful decision, as it turned into a hot water on whether it is right for the patients or not to ban their right to live or die.
"Voluntary euthanasia" - in which a doctor is allowed to help a patient die if this is the actual will of the terminally ill and if he suffers from severe, intolerable pains - has been approved of until May this year, when it was forbidden again.
The final statement of Dr Michael Wilks, Chairman of the BMA Ethics Committee, was: "There was a very clear wish by the representatives to reverse policy. The BMA's position is now one of opposition to any further legislation. If it is drawn up, we will oppose it."
From the opposing-euthanasia group, Dr. Andrew Davies argued that the ill patients would approve of being practically killed not because they want to, but because they want to release their families from continual worrying: "My worry is that a right to die will become a duty to die, a duty to unburden their families."
On the other hand, Deborah Annetts, chief executive of Dignity in Dying claims that the policy was reversed as a cause of the religious groups active and extended lobbying: ""The BMA must now engage on a doctrinaire basis in this debate instead of a neutral and professional one."