Family & Life

Pointers for Submission to Medical Council : 11th Aug 07

Irish Medical Council—Public Consultation on Review of ‘A Guide to Ethical Conduct and Behaviour’. Some Pointers

As mentioned in “LifeZine”, the Medical Council, through its Ethics Committee, is currently in the process of reviewing its “Guide to Ethical Conduct and Behaviour” in preparation for the publication of the 7th edition of the Guide. The Medical Council has now invited members of the public to participate in the review process by making submissions in relation to any aspect of the current Guide.

We urge all readers and supporters to make submissions, as a matter of urgency, to the Medical Council on the issue of the right to life from the moment of conception. Please find below some points that you may wish to use. These are merely suggestions and please ensure that you use your own words when making your submission.

1. The ethical standards in the current Guide to Ethical Conduct and Behaviour in relation to respect for human life from conception to natural death should be included in the new Guide.

2. The current Guide contains the important statement: “Medical care must not be used as a tool of the State, to be granted or withheld or altered in character under political pressure.” This statement should be retained.

3. Paragraph 2.6 relates to Conscientious Objections and should be retained.

4. Paragraphs 22.1 (Serious Illness) and 23.1 (The Dying Patient) of the Guide ensures that dying patients die with dignity and respect and protects against patients being dehydrated or starved to death. These paragraphs should be retained.

5. Paragraphs 24.1 and 24.5 (In Vitro Fertilisation) of the Guide ensure that the human embryo is protected from deliberate destruction. These paragraphs should remain. In view of the recent court case involving the fate of frozen embryos it seems necessary that these paragraphs be more specific than the current guideline. Possibly you could suggest that in IVF cases, parents must agree beforehand that all embryos will be implanted and clinics should not be allowed create more embryos than will be implanted. We believe that alternative approaches to the problems associated with infertility such as NaPro Technology should be considered for inclusion in the guidelines. Likewise consideration must be given to the long-term consequences (at this point unknown) consequences of IVF. The risks associated with IVF treatment need also to be highlighted. Again, the issue of “voluntary donation” should be clarified to reflect that there is no legislation at present to underpin such action.

6. Paragraphs 24.6 (The Child in Utero) and 24.1 of the current Guide ensure that doctors to not carry out abortion in this country. These paragraphs should be retained. Possibly you could suggest that a specific statement be put in the Guide to ensure that when treating a pregnant woman the doctor maintains a duty of care to both mother and unborn child and that the intentional killing of the unborn child is professional misconduct. A distinction should be made between necessary medical treatment that may result in the early delivery of the unborn and a procedure carried out with the intention of destroying the life of the unborn. Additionally, in view of the recent D case it would seem prudent to put in a specific statement to the effect that doctors should show equal respect to all. Disability can never be a justification for deliberately ending a life.

7. The consequences and effects of abortion need to be highlighted in the new Guidelines.

8. You may wish to suggest that an express prohibition on destructive embryo research be included in the Guidelines.

9. ‘Gene Therapy’/’Genetic Testing need to be defined/clarified; a. ‘to modify the human somatic cells’—does this involve destruction of the embryo? b. ‘may be ethical’—it is either ethical or not? The use of the word ‘may’ needs to be changed. a. What exactly is genetic testing? Are we referring to PGD here which is a carte blanche for abortion on demand, as is the case in the UK? b. What is its purpose? c. How does such testing affect the embryo? d. What are the consequences and the outcome of such testing?

10. Medical Council might be reminded that the most fundamental of al human rights is the right to life. Without it all other rights are meaningless. If the “Guide to Ethical Conduct and Behaviour” lacks clarity regarding the most basic right, it would undermine the basis for all the other self-evident rights we cherish.

The deadline for submissions is 5.00pm on Friday September 7th 2007. Submissions can be made in the following ways: A. By writing ot the Professional Standards Section, Medical Council, Lynn House, Portobello Court, Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 6. B. By email to ethicsreview@mcirl.ie C. Online at www.medicalcouncil.ie

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Family & Life

Pointers for Submission to Medical Council : 11th Aug 07

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