'First, do no harm': Can doctors ethically assist at executions?

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-death19.html

SAN FRANCISCO -- California's decision to hire an anesthesiologist to monitor an execution on Tuesday has rekindled a fierce nationwide debate over medical ethics.

For the first time, California plans to have an anesthesiologist at an execution to ensure the prisoner is unconscious when a paralyzing agent and heart-stopping drugs are administered during lethal injection. The decision was made in response to a federal judge's ruling.

Defenders of the procedure say a doctor's presence ensures the execution is carried out as humanely as possible.

But several influential medical groups, including the American Medical Association, the American Society of Anesthesiologists and the California Medical Association, have condemned physician involvement in executions as unethical and unprofessional.

''The use of a physician's clinical skill and judgment for purposes other than promoting an individual's health and welfare undermines a basic ethical foundation of medicine -- first, do no harm,'' said Dr. Priscilla Ray, who leads an AMA ethics committee.

Paging Dr. Mengele...

[RC]

1. For a country that has even withdrawn from following the Geneva

Convention, this seem like splitting shades of grey hair. Don't matter, they're gonna kill'em anyway.

[B Calm]

2. Didn't the cons send a doctor to prison for ethically assisting

a person in their death...

[EFerrari]

3. What wonderful speciman did they hire to do this? I'd like a name

so next time one of us has surgery we are sure to hire a doctor instead.

[midnight]

4. Not all Doctors are humane people.

There are some who get an M.D. for reasons other than helping those who need it. Although one wonders why? It is such a process to go through. You have to have admiration for those kind hearted Doctors that are out there. My primary is wonderful.

[ikojo]

6. There were many physicians and scientists who

supported Hitler and his policies during WWII. There were also many physicians in the US at the time who supported eugenics.

[Burning Water]

9. Why??

Follow the money. What about the prestige? In a capitalist society, or any other for that matter, why does anybody do what they do?

[Maiden England]

5. Ahh, So Sen. Frist is looking to moonlight then? (nt)

[no_hypocrisy]

7. Tough question ethically. Blurring the line b/n euthanasia & execution.

[Toots]

8. Everybody dies but to force a person to live in incredible pain and misery

without hope of recovery is IMO doing harm. To allow or even assist ,if the person requests it , for one to die with dignity is a great deed of kindness.