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PROJECTS AND RESOURCE CENTER

Current LSS Projects

Faith Schools
Religion in the workplace
Sexual orientation and faith based discrimination
Faith based arbitration and mediation in the UK
Secular Medicine
Secular Medicine
Euthanasia and assisted dying
Animal welfare and religious privilege

Secular Medicine

Secular Medicine

1.    There are many areas of medicine where there is a conflict between the rights of a patient and the views of religious organisations in general or of which the patient is a member. Where there are faith-based objections to treatment or requirement for treatment the best interests of the patient should always be considered.

2.    The LSS will campaign for law reform in areas where the rights of individuals need legal protection in the medical field. All law reform in the medical field should be decided after objective consideration of the best scientific evidence available at the time and should take into account religious objections where those objections conflict with the best interest of the patient.

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Euthanasia and assisted dying

3.    "Physician-assisted suicide" (PAS) is when a medical practitioner provides a prescription for a lethal substance to a terminally-ill patient who can swallow this whenever he or she wishes to do so. The procedure is legal in Belgium, The Netherlands and Oregon (in the USA), and it is decriminalized in Switzerland. The Secular Medical Forum campaigns for law reform in this area www.secularmedicalforum.org.uk together with Friends at the End in Glasgow and Dignity in Dying.

4.    End of life care is very important and good palliative care can provide a satisfactory option for many patients. However there are times when even the best palliative care fails to prevent immense suffering and loss of dignity at the end of life.

5.    The main obstacle to law reform in this area are the religious groups who view suicide as a sin.  These religious voices have a disproportionate impact on the debate. Previous attempts at legislative reform have been opposed by groups such as the Christian Medical Fellowship. The Secular Medical Forum has found evidence that in recent years, several polls have shown that at least 80% of the British population polled supports the concept of assisted dying for the terminally ill who are suffering unbearably.

6.    Although there may be difficulties in drafting a law that sufficiently protects people at the most vulnerable time of their lives, such difficulties are surmountable and are not a valid reason for refusing to legislate where reform is needed to ensure people have a choice at the end of life.

7.    The LSS works with in conjunction with related organisations on issues in current medicine including:

a.    Abortion;

b.    Assisted dying;

c.    Religious surgery on children;

d.    Conscientious objection by medical staff to performing their duties;

e.    Sex education.

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