XN000022-1993-02-24 — Page 22

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1993

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EUTHANASIA NOT TO BE LEGALISED

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THE GOVERNMENT WILL NOT LEGALISE EUTHANASIA WHICH EXISTS IN BOTH ACTIVE AND PASSIVE FORMS FOR THE TIME BEING, THE ACTING SECRETARY FOR HEALTH AND WELFARE. MRS SHELLEY LAU, TOLD LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

SHE SAID UNDER THE EXISTING POLICY, ACTIVE EUTHANASIA ILLEGAL WHILE PASSIVE EUTHANASIA WAS ALSO GENERALLY CONSIDERED BY MEDICAL PROFESSION AS UNETHICAL.

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FURTHER GOVERNMENT CONSIDERATION OF THE MATTER WILL DEPEND A LARGE EXTENT ON COMMUNITY VIEWS ON THE ISSUE AND EXPECTATIONS.

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"RIGHT NOW, WE DO NOT SEE RUTHANASIA AS A SUBJECT OF GENERAL PUBLIC CONCERN THOUGH WE DO SYMPATHISE WITH DOCTORS AND PATIENTS WHO SOMETIMES FEEL FORCED TO CONFRONT IT AS AN OPTION, MRS LAU STATED IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON CONRAD LAM KUT-SHING.

MRS LAU TOLD COUNCILLORS THAT EUTHANASIA, OFTEN CALLED MERCY KILLING, WAS A VERY COMPLEX AND CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT, WITH PROFOUND ETHICAL, LEGAL, POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS AND MEDICAL IMPLICATIONS.

ACTIVE EUTHANASIA IS THE DELIBERATE ACT OF ENDING THE LIFE OF A PATIENT, FOR EXAMPLE BY PRESCRIBING OR ADMINISTERING A DRUG WHICH ACCELERATES THE PATIENT'S DEATH.

"IT IS USUALLY AT THE REQUEST OF A TERMINALLY ILL PATIENT OR CLOSE RELATIVES," MRS LAU SAID, BUT CAUTIONED THAT THIS WOULD CONSTITUTE THE CRIME OF MURDER OR MANSLAUGHTER UNDER EXISTING LAW,

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PASSIVE EUTHANASIA MEANS RESPECTING THE WILL OF THE PATIENT OR HIS CLOSE RELATIVES TO ALLOW THE NATURAL FORCE OF DEATH TO FOLLOW ITS COURSE IN THE TERMINAL PHASE OF SICKNESS BY NOT INTERVENING MEDICALLY TO PROLONG LIFE.

ALTHOUGH DOCTORS IN SOME COUNTRIES MAY ADVOCATE EUTHANASIA SOME OVERSEAS COURT DECISIONS AND LAWS HAVE PERMITTED CONSIDERED IT WAS STILL A CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT INTERNATIONALLY.

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THE ACTING SECRETARY ALSO NOTED THAT THE WORLD MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HAD DECLARED EUTHANASIA UNETHICAL.

IN HONG KONG, THE JOINT ETHICS COMMITTEE OF THE HONG KONG MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AND THE BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (HONG KONG BRANCH) IS ALSO OF THE OPINION THAT EUTHANASIA IS UNETHICAL.

"AND FOLLOWING A RECENT DEBATE ON THE SUBJECT, THE JOINT COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED NO CHANGE IN THE LAW, MRS LAU ADDED.

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