OT...What are your views on this...

....particularly those involved in the medical profession on here?....

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-63599107

My own views are:

I do not understand why we consider it acceptable to euthanise animals who are suffering or have incurable disease or injuries and yet a human being with the ability to express a desire to end their life is not allowed to.

I, for one, if I had a degenerative disease that would leave me totally paralysed, or face months of unbearable pain would almost certainly want to terminate my life at a time of my choosing. Whilst it would be me who mainly 'benefits' from that decision, society as a whole would benefit since the resources required to keep a hopeless case ' breathing' could be used to assist people who do have a chance of recovery, or at the very least some quality of life. That surely should be the point- i.e. 'quality of life' not just maintaining life for life's sake.

Of course, safeguards must be in place to prevent undue pressure on the person concerned or people unable to express the desire either way. The play 'whose life is it anyway' was first performed in 1972 and I am sure the debate raged long before that.

'Medical science' has 'out-paced' medical ethics by some margin and many patients, who would have deteriorated rapidly only a few decades ago, can now be kept alive for months and years but often with greatly diminished quality of life in spite of improvements in palliative care albeit in some cases pain relief is not always that effective.

Suicide is still illegal based on the influence on society of religion which teaches that it is a 'sin'. Nevertheless, IMO arresting someone for assisting and threatening 14 years in prison, especially when that 'someone' has often been a loving partner or friend who knows far more about the persons suffering than any doctor or clinician who looks at it based purely on the treatments and diagnoses regarding the physical elements.

The other side of the coin...In the recent case where the only thing keeping the patient's bodily functions working after brain death alive vs the parents 'faith' and mistrust of the doctors then it is reasonable to put the decision in the hands of the judicial system guided by the clinicians.

So by the same token if someone is lucid and capable of rational though AND they know they are terminally ill, and /or will(are) experience(ing) unbearable pain, then ultimately they should be given the rights to terminate their own existence provided checks and balances are in place to ensure undue pressure (from any source) has been placed on them to make that decision.

 

Brain death isn't the handicap it used to be, many people now go on to have long careers posting on the BBS.

 

I reckon we won't be far down the line in making that possible . Following the Spanish decision last year.
I wasnt aware Scotland had raised a bill on assisted dying. Btw.

Countries Where Active Euthanasia is Legal (in Certain Circumstances):
Australia Colombia New Zealand
Belgium Luxembourg Spain
Canada Netherlands.

 

If someone is assessed as having capacity to make the decision, then anyone assisting them should be free from prosecution, in my opinion.

It is a very complex issue though and I am not surprised there is a lot of red tape.

 

Isn't it legal in Switzerland? Or at least that is where Dignitas is.

 

Or as prime minister....

 

Euthanasia. What a tough thing to decide on. I think I'm firmly on the fence, on the one hand you've got people with crippling terminal conditions who are just desperate to end it all, on the other hand you've got evil bstards who stand to inherit something by convincing vulnerable people that they should end it all.

Dunno the answer, I don't think there is an answer.

 

People are always going to commit suicide for a variety of reasons. Some people are unable to do it themselves. And most self-administered methods, for want of a better term, are horrible, not guaranteed to succeed, may even make matters worse, may put others at risk and leave members of the public or, worse still, a loved one the shock of discovering the aftermath. Professional assisted suicide removes all that, so I have no problem with it, providing the healthcare professionals carrying it out take all the necessary precautions. As the OP mentioned, they have to ensure the patient is not being coerced, but also they should (and I’m not sure of the process, so they probably already do) offer alternative solutions to patients where appropriate, such as counselling or appointments with relevant medical practitioners, if the patient still has the potential for a good quality of life.

I have neurological issues that are degenerative in nature and, when I deteriorate to the point of needing help to carry out the most basic tasks, have no intention of seeing my days out either being a burden on my children or spending their inheritance on social care, if there’s even anywhere available. So a solution like this would be perfect.

 

I wish it had been available when my mother passed away the other week. We knew she had hours left and around a dozen family members were around her bed. At that point in this country a doctor should be able to come in to the private room and let her rest in peace. Instead you're made to fight a losing battle for many more hours, going through suffering and every laboured breath wondering if that's it before 20 or so seconds later another comes. It's brutal for all concerned and it shouldn't need to come to that.

 

Euthanasia clinics won't kill just anyone who shows up at their door though. I would imagine that it's quite a long process, and that a specialised doctor has the final say. I may be totally wrong though!

 

Aye, it's difficult.

 

LOL Even with such a serious subject, there are times when a single post 'lightens' the thread. This was one such post .

 

Have to agree, you can read their pro- govt and pro Tory posts, every time they come out from the back of the sofa following some govt propaganda ***** that’s been announced

 

We already have euthanasia in parts of this Country - it's just not part of the statute books and a blind eye is turned to what is a very sensitive conversation between an individual and their Doctor.

I've come to the conclusion that's probably the best way forward. The problem with having a law like this enshrined in law is you'd have to have a great deal of faith that the State would not abuse such a law -I don't. I think it's just too dangerous to give a Country such powers and this slightly outweighs the terribly difficult circumstances some people are forced into through their medical condition.

 

Sorry to hear about your mum. Hope you're ok, considering