An appeal to the Catholics of England and Wales to campaign against euthanasia by omission had been made by Archbishop Peter Smith, delegate for bioethics of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, and by the Standing Committee of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales. A few days before the parliamentary debate on the Mental Capacity Bill, due to take place at the end of this week, the bishops have appealed to Catholics to contact their local MP and ask him/her to support two amendments that would prevent the legalization of euthanasia in an indirect way. The two amendments, drafted by the bishops and by Catholic MPs, are aimed at preventing euthanasia from being introduced in the form of the rejection or suspension of the medical treatment that is indispensable for keeping the patient alive. The two amendment are intended to ensure that the law would not authorise any decision that would cause the death of the patient through the suspension of palliative treatment, including the provision of food and water, however delivered.
