Adopted by the WMA General Assembly, Washington 2002 May 2001 20.3/2001

1. The World Medical Association's Declaration on Euthanasia, adopted by the 38th World Medical Assembly, Madrid, Spain, October 1987, states:
   
   "Euthanasia, that is the act of deliberately ending the life of a patient, even at the patient's own request or at the request of close relatives, is unethical. This does not prevent the physician from respecting the desire of a patient to allow the natural process of death to follow its course in the terminal phase of sickness."
   
   
2. The WMA Statement on Physician-Assisted Suicide, adopted by the 44th World Medical Assembly, Marbella, Spain, September 1992 likewise states:
   
   "Physicians-assisted suicide, like euthanasia, is unethical and must be condemned by the medical profession. Where the assistance of the physician is intentionally and deliberately directed at enabling an individual to end his or her own life, the physician acts unethically. However the right to decline medical treatment is a basic right of the patient and the physician does not act unethically even if respecting such a wish results in the death of the patient."
   
   
3. The World Medical Association has noted that the practice of active euthanasia with physician assistance, has been adopted into law in some countries.
   
   
4. BE IT RESOLVED that:
   
   
   1. The World Medical Association reaffirms its strong belief that euthanasia is in conflict with basic ethical principles of medical practice, and
      
      
   2. The World Medical Association strongly encourages all National Medical Associations and physicians to refrain from participating in euthanasia, even if national law allows it or decriminalizes it under certain conditions.
      

6.10.2002