The chair of the Association of General Practitioners has voiced objections to the practice of so-called “fit to fly” certificates being issued by GPs at the behest of the Icelandic government for potential deportees, and has asked doctors to stop complying. Despite contentions from the Minister of Justice, she denies this is based on politics saying it has everything to do with medical ethics.
What “fit-to-fly” certificates are
Fit-to-fly certificates are most commonly issued to passengers who want to certify for airlines that they are healthy enough to travel, often within the context of COVID-19. In the context of this story, it refers to a possible step in a potential deportation from Iceland.
When immigration authorities want to deport someone, at times the person in question may have medical issues–such as in the recent case of Yazan Tamimi, an eleven-year-old boy from Palestine with Duchenne’s muscular dystrophy, who authorities initially sought to deport. In these instances, authorities may ask a doctor, usually a general practitioner, to conduct a medical examination of the person and determine whether or not an airplane flight out of the country would endanger their health.
A matter of ethics
Margrét Ólafía Tómasdóttir, the chair of the Association of General Practitioners, recently put forward a proposal that Icelandic GPs stop participating in fit-to-fly exams and certificates for potential deportees. She contends that issuing these certificates for this purpose is contrary to Iceland’s medical code of ethics and international human rights.
“[Doctors] must first and foremost heal, care for, and improve the wellbeing of people,” her statement read in part. “It is obvious that such a certificate does none of the above.”
Not a matter of politics
Minister of Justice Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir responded by asking whether or not this position was based on some political stance regarding foreigners. To this, RÚV reports, Margrét emphatically rejected this accusation.
“It is utterly unconnected to politics and is based on the Hippocratic oath that we swear to abide when we become doctors,” she said, referring specifically to the famed opener to the oath: ‘first, do no harm’. “When we sign such a certificate to send an individual into conditions that threaten their lives we obviously do not have their wellbeing in mind.”
Like signing off on a boxing match
Margrét also disagreed with the Minister on the point that these fit-to-fly certificates are no different than those issued for regular travelers.
“It would be a bit like demanding that doctors certify that it’s alright for someone to get in a boxing match,” she said. “This is simply asking for a certificate to send people into situations that threaten their lives. It just isn’t a part of our job.”
For the time being, the Ministry of Justice has no plans to change their regulations about fit-to-fly certification for deportees, but Margrét says this does not matter; she will continue to encourage GPs to not engage in this practice.
