Doctor says euthanasia research skewed

Dangers of assisted suicide highlighted at Catholic doctors' gathering

Dr. Willard Johnston speaks at the Catholic Physicians Guild in Vancouver Sept. 22.
Carolyn Francis / The B.C. Catholic

The B.C. Catholic has a story by Carolyn Francis about a recent meeting in Vancouver of the Catholic Physicians Guild discussing elder abuse and how that relates to euthanasia.

Speaking at Sts. Peter and Paul Parish, Dr. Johnston warned the elderly could be coerced into "choosing" euthanasia if the practice were legalized.

Most research evidence presented at court by euthanasia advocates has argued with a lot of rhetoric and not much substance, he explained, and a lot of the research is skewed in favour of euthanasia. Only a careful examination of the research itself, he suggested, will allow the truth to rise out of a lot of misinformation.

He revealed that most of the research has been collected by those seeking to prove themselves correct. "Most of their data is collected from anonymous questionnaires mailed out and returned only by those who want to answer. This method cannot exhibit the opinion of the population as a whole. In fact it may simply highlight the extremes."

Read the full story at The B.C. Catholic website.