The Malta Association of Public Health Medicine has come out strongly against the government’s proposal to introduce assisted voluntary euthanasia, saying the plan is premature and that it could do more harm than good right now.
MAPHM agrees with the Medical Association of Malta, which has also raised serious concerns about the proposal.
Wrong terms, wrong timing
According to MAPHM, what’s being proposed is actually something different, physician-assisted suicide, where the person takes the final step themselves after being given the means by a doctor. They say using the wrong term is misleading and conflicts with Malta’s new National Suicide Prevention Strategy, launched earlier this year.
The association points out that there’s no strong research, either in Malta or abroad, showing that assisted dying is needed here. They also say there’s no clear information on whether the public or expert groups were properly consulted before the proposal was published.
Because this is such a sensitive topic, MAPHM says it needs input from doctors, lawyers, ethicists, human rights experts, religious groups, and patient representatives before any decisions are made.
Ethical and trust issues
MAPHM warns that allowing assisted dying could damage the public’s trust in doctors. Big international organisations like the World Medical Association and the European Association for Palliative Care have both said they’re against it, and Malta’s public health experts agree.
Malta has already launched a new 10-year plan to improve palliative care, services that help people live as comfortably as possible when they’re seriously ill or near the end of life. MAPHM says all efforts should go into making that plan a reality before considering assisted dying.
They also want to see proper legal backing for “Advance Care Directives”, documents that let people decide in advance what kind of medical care they want at the end of life. These currently have no legal weight in Malta.
Worries about pressure and abuse
Even if rules and safeguards are put in place, MAPHM says people might still feel pressured to choose death, especially if they feel like a burden to their families or worry about the cost of care. In small communities like Malta, this risk is even higher. There’s also concern that private companies might take over assisted dying services, putting profit before people.
MAPHM points to data from the U.S. showing that the time it takes for someone to die after taking a lethal drug can vary a lot, from a few minutes to several days. Some people even wake up or become distressed during the process. They argue that this is far from the peaceful death many expect.
Doctors shouldn’t be forced
The proposal suggests that doctors who object to assisted dying could still be required to refer patients to someone else. MAPHM disagrees. They say no medical professional should have to take part in any part of the process if it goes against their conscience, and this should apply to students and trainees too.
MAPHM also says that public knowledge about assisted dying is low. A UK survey found that over half of respondents confused it with palliative care. This shows the need for better public education before any major changes are considered. They also warn against trusting opinion polls on the issue, as people may not fully understand what they’re being asked.
What should happen now?
In short, MAPHM believes Malta should not go ahead with assisted dying laws just yet. Instead, the country should focus on:
- Fully rolling out the National Palliative Care Strategy
- Creating legal support for Advance Care Directives
- Protecting vulnerable people
- Respecting ethical standards
- Allowing healthcare professionals to opt out completely
They say any future law must be based on solid evidence, be completely transparent, and include expert input at every step.
Source: Newsbook.com.mt