CNK spokesperson, Dr Peter Saunders, commented on the RCN adoption of a neutral stance towards assisted-suicide:

'This move is really quite bizarre. The number of respondents (1,200) represents less than one third of one percent of the RCN's 390,000 members and we are told that less than half were even reached by the consultation. This is surely no basis for a shift in the stance of the RCN in this highly controversial issue especially given that this minute sample, in which lobby groups are no doubt disproportionately represented, predictably voiced a very broad range of opinion. It is noteworthy that The British Medical Association have just voted against any change in the law and that senior lawyers, doctors' leaders, all the Medical Royal Colleges and disabled people's groups remain opposed to any legislative shift.'