New ICBC papers on End of Life referendum

The Interchurch Bioethics Council, of which the PCANZ is a member, has prepared two articles on the upcoming referendum for the End of Life Choice Act 2019 - one is a FAQs list and the other is an opinion piece by Rev Dr Graham O’Brien, Co-Chair InterChurch Bioethics Council. Please download them below:

That PCANZ declared in 2018 that it does not support provision for euthanasia and medically-assisted suicide as proposed in the End of Life Bill. We believe that any legally-sanctioned provision for doctors to actively end people’s lives or assist them to die is ethically unacceptable and would in the long-term be dangerous for public safety - especially for those who are seriously ill, depressed, disabled or very elderly.

The Church has also urged the county’s politicians to respect the dignity and value of human life as they consider how to vote on this Bill.

That Church also asked the Government to significantly increase the quality of, and access to, palliative care, hospice services, mental health services, care for the disabled and care of the elderly, including recognition of the need for spiritual care.

See more ICBC resources on euthanasia on the Church website.