Memorandum by Christian Science
I am very grateful for this opportunity to comment
on the Inquiry about organ donation and transplantation.
The responses below are made in my capacity
as a UK representative for Christian Science. My full title is
District Manager for the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland,
Christian Science Committees on Publication.[1]
Q1. Please would you describe any particular
aspects of organ donation and transplantation which are considered
ethically problematic within the context of your organisation's
religious beliefs—as these are perceived: (a) within the
UK; or (b) in other EU Member States?
A1. In Christian Science (for adherents
in the UK and throughout Europe) all personal decisions, including
organ donation and transplantation, are left to each individual's
own prayerful judgment. The Church of Christ, Scientist (ie, the
Christian Science church) does not instruct its members on how
to deal with healthcare options, including organ donation and
transplantation issues.
It would be fair to say, though, that it is
usual for Christian Scientists to prefer prayer-based healing—as
fully explained in Mary Baker Eddy's "Science and Health
with Key to the Scriptures"—as their primary choice
of healthcare, and so having an organ transplant would most likely
not be as common an occurrence for them as it would be among other
segments of society. However, while Christian Scientists feel
that a spiritual approach to meeting their healthcare needs is
effective, and therefore a desirable option to exercise, the teachings
of Christian Science include no sense of there being biblical
condemnation of any specific medical operation, such as blood
transfusions and transplants. If these are eschewed it would be
from a positive perspective of preferring a different approach,
rather than from a negative perspective of rejecting the medical
option available.
Q2. Please would you explain if there is any
significant tendency for individuals from your faith group to
oppose organ donation either for themselves or for a family member
on the basis of their own interpretation of the religious teaching
of the group, rather than on the basis of how that teaching is
more generally interpreted. If so, how, if at all, do you think
this tendency might best be addressed?
A2. As explained above, the Christian Science
church leaves each member to turn to God, the Bible and the Christian
Science textbook ("Science and Health") to prayerfully
seek his or her own answer regarding personal issues, including
organ donation. In Christian Science, the relationship between
God and each individual is sacred. From this holy relationship,
realized in prayer, stem the decisions taken for one's life. The
Christian Science church honours this relationship and trusts
each member's prayerful choices on life issues, without intruding
on those choices.
Q3. To what extent would a change to a system
of presumed consent for organ donation in the UK (under which
everyone would be assumed to have consented to donate their organs
after death unless they explicitly opted-out from the system)
be ethically acceptable for your faith group?
A3. Individual choice is paramount in Christian
Science and just as Christian Scientists have appreciated the
ways in which their own choices have been accommodated in government
policy, so they would not want to interfere with the choices of
those who wish to approach their healthcare needs through organ
donation, so long as rigorous safeguards are in place ensuring
that each individual opt-out would be properly honoured. We would
also suggest that all efforts should first be exhausted to encourage
sufficient opt-in donations to meet the need, before the change
to a system of presumed consent for organ donation in the UK is
made. Should this occur, though, it would be workable to those
in our faith group. However, it is fair to say that Christian
Scientists would be concerned if this is taken as a green light
for a broader presumption that traditional Western medicine is
the assumed norm, especially in this time when so many more people
are gravitating towards alternative medicines, as well as prayer-based
spiritual healing, such as that practised by Christian Scientists.
Q4. If presumed consent were to be introduced
in the UK, what would be your views about the idea that members
of any particular groups should be assumed to be opted out a whole
without the need for individual opt outs? (An example of this
is the case of Singapore, where Muslims are assumed to have opted
out unless they expressly opt in).
A4. Should the presumed consent system,
including rigorous safeguards ensuring that an individual opt-out
would be honoured, be introduced in the UK, there would be
no need to provide for an assumption that Christian Scientists
would opt-out of organ donation. Moreover, we would not be in
favour of an assumed opt out for Christian Scientists because
individual Christian Scientists are free to make their own decisions
with respect to health care matters.
29 February 2008
1 The primary role of the office of the Christian Science
Committees on Publication is to present accurate information to
the media and government about Christian Science. The District
Manager is appointed by The Christian Science Board of Directors
to represent the practice of Christian Science to the Westminster
Parliament. Christian Science Committees on Publication throughout
the UK, and other European nations, are involved in communicating
with the media, other religious bodies, civic organizations and
government institutions about Christian Science. Christian Science
is not linked in any way with Scientology. Back
|
