The American Medical Association (AMA) has upheld its opposition to assisted suicide and euthanasia. This represents a significant victory, as AMA delegates voted against amending the code of ethics to support or become neutral on assisted suicide. They also voted against amending terminology from assisted suicide to Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD).
The overarching conclusion is that medical professionals, particularly young physicians and medical students, must be actively engaged in the AMA.
On October 10, the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition (EPC) was the first organization to announce that the American Medical Association (AMA) would be debating their policies on assisted suicide and euthanasia at the AMA House of Delegates interim meeting in Maryland (November 10–14, 2023).
A total of 50 draft resolutions were proposed, with two of the draft resolutions specifically addressing assisted suicide and euthanasia.
- Resolution 4 proposed a change in the AMA’s position from opposition to support.
- Resolution 5 recommended that the AMA adopt a neutral stance.
Resolution 4 aimed to eliminate the AMA’s stance against euthanasia and assisted suicide. Additionally, both Resolution 4 and Resolution 5 sought to replace the term “Physician-Assisted Suicide” with “Medical Aid in Dying” (MAiD). It’s important to note that Medical Aid in Dying encompasses both assisted suicide and euthanasia.
Gratitude is extended to the numerous medical professionals who promptly responded to the alert and collaborated to oppose Resolutions 4 and 5.