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Euthanasia is a societal issue, not medical, and it is for doctors to kill, writes Dr. Martin Labrie and Dr. Jessica Simon in a letter published in the Calgary Herald on June 20.

Both palliative care physicians, the authors argue that discussions about euthanasia are based on several beliefs, often contradicted by experience, and yet presented as universally accepted facts.

They also say that doctors, who have not been trained to kill, are not currently better equipped than other professionals to do it, and it can be very difficult to ensure a “humane” death by euthanasia as evidenced by failed capital punishments in the United States.

For them, it makes much more sense for Canadian Society to devote its efforts to improve palliative care than to create a socially dangerous reality.