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'No place' for euthanasia in NZ, doctor says as End of Life Choice bill's third reading looms

November 11, 2019

Dr Sinead Donnelly spoke to Breakfast ahead of the The End of Life Choice Bill’s third reading this week.

Just days before the End of Life Choice Bill is read a third time in Parliament, one doctor told TVNZ1's Breakfast this morning there is no place for euthanasia in New Zealand.  

Dr Sinead Donnelly is one of 1500 doctors who has signed an open letter to Parliament, which opposes the End of Life Choice Bill. 

"In my view and in our view of the 1500 doctors there is no place for a doctor intentionally ending the life of another person. Our duty is to care, to serve and to advocate for people," Dr Donnelly said. 

She said the view is not just isolated to New Zealand.

"We stand with the World Medical Association that actually represents 114 countries and nine million physicians who say it's not the role of a doctor to end someone's life.

"I truly believe that we can care for people who are suffering and facing death very well and can improve all the time."

While she is against doctors taking up the role of ending someone's life, she said someone else could be trained up to do it, but she's opposed to that idea.

"It's very sad for me to even think of that but I can imagine it would be possible."

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