Dr. Hannah Linane:

I will expand on why the IAPC is against any change in the law to legalise euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide. When euthanasia or assisted suicide is available as a choice, a key risk is that someone may not make that choice freely. The ability to identify and prevent this is a major concern. For those who are dependent on others for care, assisted suicide or euthanasia could be seen as a duty. The ban on healthcare professionals shortening a person's life, protects patients who may be vulnerable and basing their decision to die on life situations that can be addressed with the provision of appropriate supports. There is a need to focus on support for carers, respite provision in the community, an enhancement of psychiatric and mental health supports, as well as care and support of our aging population and those with increased palliative care needs.

Safeguards may attempt to utilise prognoses to avoid misuse of euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide. Prognostication is not precisely predictable and errors are common. It is dependent on one's own clinical experience and knowledge and remains an imprecise subjective judgment. Suffering is a subjective experience unique to the individual, which results not just from physical but also psychological, social, and spiritual influences. Assisted dying legislation is a solution that fails to address the root causes or complexity of a concept and experience such as suffering. There needs to be a focus on addressing the societal deficits that contribute to this experience or situation, which may change.

Palliative care seeks to address the complexity of suffering by responding to a person’s individual physical, psychological, and spiritual needs. We believe that dignity incorporates more than just the principle of autonomy. It is not dependent on a person being of use or interest to others, nor is it based on a person’s merits. It is a concept that requires a person to be treated with respect. It is the shared responsibility of healthcare professionals to treat patients with compassion, to manage symptoms, and focus on a person’s comfort and dignity at end of life. There is a concern that a change in the law would support a belief that certain types of life are not worth living and are of lessor value. A person's life has value regardless of physical well-being or productivity.

We acknowledge the suffering of those diagnosed with serious medical illnesses and feel that solutions lie in addressing the reasons for euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide requests, and ensuring patients have access to resources including timely, effective, and equitable palliative care services and a greater understanding around death, dying, and end-of-life care.