In an article on physician-assisted suicide in the March 7 issue, Dr. Joseph English equates the APA processes with regard to physician-assisted suicide and abortion. These are two highly complex and affect-laden issues. To set the record straight:

1. The APA position paper in favor of reproductive choice was adopted in accordance with established APA process, including discussion and debate by the Assembly. All APA position statements are reviewed on a regular basis.

When the position statement on abortion came up for review, several years ago, it was again discussed by the Assembly and all other relevant bodies, and was reaffirmed by the Board of Trustees. Although the position statement will come up for review again, in the regular course of events, there have been several attempts to preempt that process, so that we end up debating the issue year after year.

The case with regard to physician-assisted suicide is very different. APA has subscribed to the anti-physician-assisted-suicide position of the AMA as part of its ethics code. The issue has not been debated by either APA's Assembly or Board of Trustees. APA members have not had the opportunity to debate the implications of this position for psychiatry or to decide whether to support it.

2. A position statement is not equivalent to an ethics statement. The APA position on abortion does not bind APA members to a course of action or expose them to ethics complaints if they follow another course of action.

Nada L. Stotland, M.D.
President-elect
Association of Women Psychiatrists

(Psychiatric News, April 4, 1997)