A group of more than 50 healthcare professionals, who do not want assisted dying to be legalised, will be sending out leaflets on the matter this week.
Manx Duty of Care’s campaign comes as a response to the current consultation taking place on the legalisation of assisted dying ahead of new legislation.
Dr Graham McAll, a retired GP, said: ‘It’s a complicated issue and many want to understand it better.
‘With so much going on, even many health professionals haven’t had the chance to digest all the evidence from other countries.’
Some of the reasons given against assisted dying in the leaflet include: an increased danger of abuse, societal pressure whereby individuals feel like a burden and the practice causing a change in relationship with doctors.
Dr McAll said: ‘The evidence from Canada which I think has driven our concern quite a lot.’
He referred to a case of a Canadian paralympian and former member of the Canadian military, Christine Gauthier, who had been fighting for a chairlift for five years.
Late last year, she testified that she received a letter from the Department of Veteran Affairs which said that they could offer her an assisted death instead.
Dr McAll said: ‘When we get near the end of our lives, many of us will have a disability, but in this case it seems to show a mentality of saving money in Canada by euthanising people.’
He added: ‘I came into healthcare to save lives, and assisted dying seems to go to the opposite end of the spectrum from what I promised when I entered the profession.’
‘I understand there is both sides, where palliative care has not been adequate for some, although it has come along in leaps and bounds.
‘I can also see if the public have experienced really difficult instances of death and end of life support of people around them, then individuals could think it is a good idea.’
‘However, it gives doctors a very difficult job to try and determine if someone is being coerced, it is almost an impossible job.’
Dr McAll told the Examiner that he doesn’t know of any healthcare professionals who are in favour of the practice.
He said: ‘I think there is a real fear among healthcare professionals of medicalising suicide.’
The group has raised money locally to deliver the leaflets by postmen.
The consultation on assisted dying opened December 1, and will close January 26.
Last week’s Manx Independent heard from three doctors opposed to the new law, proposed by Dr Alex Allinson an MHK and general practitioner.