Strong vocal opposition made it impossible for the chair to introduce the guest speaker at this year’s annual ethics lecture which was due to take place at 5pm this evening at Cork University Hospital; and regrettably the decision was made to cancel the lecture in the interests of safety for all present.

Since 2002, the annual CUH Ethics Forum Spring lecture - which is open to the public - has been held to inform the audience, stimulate debate and improve discussion on difficult and sensitive topics of ethical interest. Each year, the format has been the same; a 40 minute lecture, followed by 50 minutes of lively discussion and debate with the audience.

The content of the lectures and subsequent discussions are always regarded as personal views of the participants and do not represent the views of the HSE, CUH or the CUH Ethics Forum.

The right to freedom of speech and the interactive format of its annual ethics lecture – now in its seventh year - were the reasons that Cork University Hospital’s Executive Management Board had originally decided the lecture should go ahead.

The purpose of inviting Prof. Len Doyal, a noted expert in the field of medical ethics, was never intended to cause offence or worry to anyone. The CUH Ethics Forum wanted only to promote an active discussion about this increasingly controversial ethical and legal issue in medicine.

The Hospital fully appreciates that this is a very sensitive topic for many groups and individuals and is aware of the potential for misunderstanding which the title of the lecture may convey, but would again categorically state that CUH does not support Euthanasia and that the purpose of the lecture was to stimulate debate and discussion on a difficult and sensitive ethical issue in an appropriate environment.

Ends...

Additional Information:

• There is no cost to the HSE for the event and as in previous years, there was no entrance fee to attend.
• The titles of previous lectures

2002     Ethico-Legal uncertainty in Medicine: the role of clinical ethics committees.

2003     Ethics Consent & End of Life Care

2004     The rights of the patient versus perceived rights of relatives

2005     Legal and ethical aspects of assisted human reproduction

2006     Do Ethics help us care for dying patients – messages from critical care.

2007     Science & Ethics of Stem Cell Research

2008     Autonomy Rules OK?

2009    Why Euthanasia should be legalized

• Professor Doyal has previously delivered the annual lecture to the CUH Ethics Forum entitled ‘Ethico-Legal uncertainty in medicine: The role of clinical ethics committees’.  Elsewhere, he has also lectured widely on the topic of euthanasia.
• The CUH ethics forum was founded in 2002 and exists to facilitate patients, their families and carers and members of the hospital staff in discussing matters of ethical concern. The Forum has an important role to play in educating staff on decision-making in a hospital setting where staff can be confronted with difficult ethical issues.
• As a major teaching hospital, CUH strives to foster a culture where there is respect for the patient and the care-giver, openness in terms of encouraging the patient to participate in his or her own treatment and a commitment to fostering a learning environment where dialogue and debate are encouraged.