Ethics in healthcare – matters for prayer 2004
Euthanasia
A Select Committee in the House of Lords is currently considering Lord Joffe’s Assisted Dying Bill, which aims to bring in euthanasia. This was unanimously rejected when a previous House of Lords Committee reported in 1994, but there has been Parliamentary support for new discussion, though hopefully not for euthanasia itself, because of new legislation elsewhere (Belgium and the Netherlands) and because of ‘greater public engagement’ with the subject. With more homicides by health professionals being detected in the UK and Europe, and the growth in palliative care, there is probably even less support from within the professions than 10 years ago, but it is important that any change in the law is opposed.
At the same time the real debate and the real day-today dilemmas are about withholding and withdrawing life prolonging medical treatment, and a High Court finding that recent General Medical Council guidance in this area was unlawful in parts puts this difficult subject back in the spotlight.
The Mental Capacity Bill in England and Wales covers care for the mentally incapacitated. Although much is welcome and necessary, bringing advance directives into statute law could lead in time to euthanasia by the back door, as could wrongly withholding and withdrawing life prolonging treatments from those who are not actually dying.
Prayer
- Lord, let us care ethically for the terminally ill, recognising ‘a time to die’ but never hastening death. Lord, we pray for protection for those who cannot make decisions for themselves and pray about this new legislation.
Cloning
Following a legal decision last year that allowed the use of human embryos for research into so-called therapeutic cloning and stem cell production, the first licence has now been granted in the UK. There is only one technique of cloning, and this decision brings reproductive cloning – the birth of a human clone – nearer. We must as a society consider the status before God of each human embryo.
Stem cells can be extracted from ‘adult’ sources and here there is no ethical controversy. Almost every week, new evidence about the suitability of adult stem cells emerges around the world. The same therapeutic benefits can be obtained by research that is entirely ethical.
Prayer
- Lord, thank you that we are all fearfully and wonderfully made. Please help us to respect human life and keep us from trespassing in your domain. Please lead the UK into adult stem cell research rather than into cloning humans.
Artificial Reproductive Technologies
The role of Britain’s Human Fertilisation Embryology Authority is increasingly being criticised. There have been scandals associated with its failure to police clinics, and without adequate discussion it is assuming rights Parliament never gave it to push back ethical frontiers. Many think there should be two separate bodies: one simply to police researchers and clinics and one that is truly representative to hold genuine public discussion.
Prayer
- Lord, forgive us for thinking that we can make man in our image. Help us to see marriage as the context for reproduction and to use scientific advances appropriately and ethically.
Sexual health and abortion
Figures for sexually transmitted infections including AIDS continue to reach record levels, with associated misery and potential infertility. There are not enough clinics to cope. Britain has almost the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in Europe, and one in five of all pregnancies in England and Wales ends in abortion. We need sex education that increases the self-esteem of children, young people and adults and affirms the importance of relationships.
Prayer
- Lord, thank you for marriage, your loving plan for human sexuality, and for the gift of children. Please forgive us for the adultery and fornication in our society, and for killing defenceless innocents in abortion. We pray we may return to your ideal and end the silent holocaust of abortion.
Transsexuality
Transsexual people feel they are ‘a woman trapped in a man’s body’ or vice-versa. Despite growing concern now being voiced in the secular media about the absence of medical evidence for the causes and therefore for the most appropriate way of helping such people, the government has introduced legislation so birth certificates can be changed secretly to record the new adopted gender rather than the birth sex. This is mainly to enable people to marry in the adopted gender.
Those struggling with their sexual identity deserve full support and love, but there is no evidence that gender reassignment surgery and hormones are the right way. We should be concerned about legal collusion with deceit, about the effect on the marriage partners and families of transsexuals, and that what is in reality same sex marriage comes nearer.
Prayer
- Lord, thank you that you created us ‘male and female’. We pray that those struggling with their sexual identity will receive the right kind of help. We pray for the impact of this legislation.
Resources around the world
Resource allocation remains controversial in rich Britain, with political posturing about the importance of patient choice, but around the world patients have no choices at all and healthcare budgets are unbelievably tiny by comparison. With extreme weather conditions increasing global hunger, and many armed conflicts continuing, much more needs to be done politically in terms of debt relief and genuine international aid. There is always a need for health professionals and aid workers to take the compassionate care of Christ to those in need.
Prayer
- Father, forgive us that we complain so readily and forget the far greater needs elsewhere. Please help us to give generously and please call out more carers. What are you asking me to do?
Action Points
- We can pray.
- We can also get more informed and get more involved.
- We could respond year round to Healthcare Sunday by, for example, volunteering at an old people’s home, helping in sex education for young people, lobbying on ethical issues, or being a volunteer visitor in the local hospice.
- We could support a health professional working in the developing world, or consider going abroad ourselves.
Consulting Medical Adviser, CARE (Christian Action Research & Education)
