AMA on Assisted Suicide

The American Medical Association has long supported abortion and now it may be expanding its pro-death philosophy to physician assisted suicide.  The AMA’s internationally respected Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs thoroughly studied the issue of assisted suicide over a two-year period and recommended the AMA continue its long-standing opposition to it.  The Council said, it “is fundamentally incompatible with the physician’s role as healer” and “difficult or impossible to control.”  But instead of following their advice, the AMA sent the recommendation back to the Council for further study.  In states where pro-euthanasia activists persuaded AMA state affiliates to be neutral, it increased the likelihood of passing assisted suicide legislation.