The eighth edition, published in 2016, similarly directed that doctors “must not take part in the deliberate killing of a patient.” The ninth edition, dated this year, however, has removed that prohibition on the deliberate killing of patients.
The Medical Council did not respond to a request for comment on the change. In a press release in November announcing the new guide, the council said the revised guidelines were developed by an “ethics committee” chaired by Medical Council President Suzanne Crowe. Crowe also did not respond to a query about the changes.
In its ninth edition, similar to previous revisions, the council says that doctors “play an important role in supporting patients, families, and the community to deal with the reality of death.”
“You should be sensitive in discussing end-of-life options, including palliative care, and make sure that patients and their families have a clear understanding of what can and cannot be achieved,” the guide says.
The revisions come as many countries and governments around the world are considering or have implemented assisted suicide and euthanasia laws for medical patients.
In Ireland several years ago, lawmakers considered what was dubbed the “Dying with Dignity Bill,” a piece of legislation that if passed would have “[made] provision for assistance in achieving a dignified and peaceful end of life to qualifying persons.”
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