Assisted suicide law could impair trust

AS EDDIE Barnes reported last week, a debate on assisted suicide will take place in the Scottish Parliament later this month ("When pain becomes a matter of life and death", 3 January). This will encourage an open discussion of end of life choices in Scotland. However, the consensus within the British Medical Association (BMA) firmly remains that the law should not be changed to permit euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide.

If doctors are authorised, by law, to kill or help kill they are taking on an additional role that we believe is alien to the one of care giver and healer. The traditional doctor- patient relationship is founded on trust and this risks being impaired if the doctor's role encompasses any form of intentional killing.

Arguments for and against a change in law on assisted suicide are complex and challenging. As the debate continues, our focus must be on the provision of resources to ensure all patients, irrespective of diagnosis, have access to first-class palliative care to ensure terminal suffering is properly managed.

Dr Brian Keighley, chairman, Scottish Council of the BMA