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Published Online: 5 May 2006

Ethics Code Addresses Executions

Publication: Psychiatric News
Volume 41, Number 9
https://doi.org/10.1176/pn.41.9.0009a
The following are excerpts from the AMA's Code of Medical Ethics regarding physician participation in the death penalty. APA's ethics code calls on APA members to follow the AMA's ethics code.
An individual's opinion on capital punishment is the personal moral decision of the individual. A physician, as a member of a profession dedicated to preserving life when there is hope of doing so, should not be a participant in a legally authorized execution. Physician participation in execution is defined generally as actions that would fall into one or more of the following categories:
1. 
an action that would directly cause the death of the condemned;
2. 
an action that would assist, supervise, or contribute to the ability of another individual to directly cause the death of the condemned;
3. 
an action that could automatically cause an execution to be carried out on a condemned prisoner.
The following actions do not constitute physician participation in an execution:
1. 
testifying as to medical history and diagnoses or mental state as they relate to competence to stand trial, testifying as to relevant medical evidence during trial, testifying as to medical aspects of aggravating or mitigating circumstances during the penalty phase of a capital case, or testifying as to medical diagnoses as they relate to the legal assessment of competence for execution;
2. 
certifying death, provided that the condemned has been declared dead by another person;
3. 
witnessing an execution in a totally nonprofessional capacity;
4. 
witnessing an execution at the specific voluntary request of the condemned person, provided that the physician observes the execution in a nonprofessional capacity; and
5. 
relieving the acute suffering of a condemned person while awaiting execution, including providing tranquilizers at the specific voluntary request of the condemned person to help relieve pain or anxiety in anticipation of the execution.
The entire AMA code related to physician roles in capital punishment is posted at<www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/8419.html>.

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Psychiatric News
Volume 41 • Number 9 • May 5, 2006
Pages: 9

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Published online: 5 May 2006
Published in print: May 5, 2006

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