The expert body appointed by the churches to monitor bioethical issues has spoken out against moves to legalise either doctor-assisted suicide or euthanasia.

The InterChurch Bioethics Council has made its case in the wake of Labour List MP Maryan Street’s announcement that she plans to introduce a Private Member's Bill giving terminally ill people the right to physician-assisted death.

The ICBC acknowledges that many people fear “suffering a painful drawn-out death, or watching someone we love suffering such a death.”

But they say modern palliative care has the answer to those fears – and they ask whether the euthanasia debate is “convenient” in the light of the high cost of end-of-life care.

They also suggest that the Dutch experience (the Netherlands has legalised euthanasia) shows that “voluntary euthanasia quickly becomes non-voluntary euthanasia for conditions other than terminal illness.

“The rights of vulnerable individuals are ignored when decisions are made without their input or consent, based on their perceived lack of value to, or burden on, society.” 

In the face of suffering, the ICBC says, “the Christian response is to maximise care for those in most need”… and that “palliative care given by skilled professionals… provides the best means to respond compassionately to terminal illness and suffering. 

“The intention here is to address the many needs of the suffering person and their family, and to enable a dignified pain-free death.” 

“In light of this, the ICBC would not support legislation for decriminalising or legalising physician-assisted suicide or active euthanasia. 

“Instead, we advocate recognising that death is a natural part of life, and that it is extremely important for skilled palliative care to be made freely available to all of those who suffer to enable them to die “well”.

Click here to read the full text of the ICBC statement.