The Passion of Medicine, Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide
Filed on 26 August 2019 in Food For Thought category. 
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For amplified (and prettier) version see https://blog.canberradeclaration.org.au/2019/08/30/the-passion-of-medicine-the-essence-of-humanity-euthanasia-and-physician-assisted-suicide/
The Passion of Medicine, Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide
Which was it? the thrill of the chase of the elusive diagnosis? the triumph of solving the puzzle? the entrée into people’s lives? the adventure of saving life? the awe, excitement and responsibility of the birth? the presence during the last illness?
The passion was the privilege of being there…*
“during the last illness?”
To ease the way…
…medically as a part of good palliative medicine; physically; in honourable care minimising loss of dignity by honouring dignity; enabling appreciations; facilitating healing of relationships including through forgiveness; letting go – in itself a finishing – of unfinished business and aspirations; to enable peace with oneself; and as much as possible with others, including God
…including God – sometimes just a final submission, a final “letting go” of any defiance or self-sufficiency, an acquiescence, a surrender
To ease the way… to relieve distress till the final breath
To ease the way, but never to intentionally kill.
To comfort always, but never intentionally (for that purpose) kill.
Doctors are never to be perceived as being killers.
Killing must never be endorsed as “good medicine”.
Killing must never be a part of Good Medical Practice
For doctors to be killers is the death of Medicine (with a capital M) as we know it.
Yes, pharmacists or nurses may be involved in that final step – or even lawyers – with the right of conscientious refusal, or other “trusted” people, but never doctors.
Medicine would be the poorer.
Society would be the poorer.
And, yes, there are other consequences too – enormous and significant, but paling into insignificance in light of the above catastrophic shift.
Lachlan Dunjey. 26 August, 2019
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Also see
The (undeclared) Battle for Medicine http://www.chooselifeaustralia.org.au/life/the-battle-for-medicine-2/
The Passion of Medicine is not Enough http://www.medicinewithoutmorality.info/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2010/02/Passion_Medicine_not_Enough.pdf
Coercion of Doctors: What is happening to modern medicine? in response to the 2008 Victorian Abortion Law http://www.medicinewithoutmorality.info/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2010/02/TheCoercionofDoctorsMelbourne.pdf
*The Passion of Medicine was written in 1998 in response to a national competition. It was whittled down to the 50 words required from the below starting point of 160.
Was it the thrill of the chase of the elusive diagnosis? was it the triumph of solving the puzzle? or was it the ability to facilitate healing and restoration when the diagnosis is made? was it the privileged entrée into people’s lives? or was it the satisfaction after that entrée was given of being able to influence for good – medically, psychologically, socially, spiritually? was it the privilege of having entrée that over a period of thirty years? was it the adventure of saving life, particularly in the high drama of the emergency? or was it the awe, excitement and responsibility of the delivery room and the incredible feeling of handing over that healthy newborn baby to the emotional parents? was it the privilege of presence during the last illness and the dying breath? or was it the facilitation of recovery and welcoming of the future for those who were left behind? The passion was the privilege of being there…. (160 words) 9 May 1998
