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:
The following actions do not constitute physician participation in an
execution:
The entire AMA code related to physician roles in capital punishment is
posted at<www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/8419.html>.