Should assisted dying be made legal.

[margaret*e]

I was given a leaflet with an address to send a protest to, but with some restrictions, I'm not totally against the idea.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28274531

[**caution**opinion_ahead]

I am completely in favour of assisted dying.

If someone is against it, they need not opt for it, but they should not have the right to stop me from making that choice.

There are no prizes for getting to the end unassisted.  Those in unbearable cirs should be allowed the relief that death brings.

[saasher2012]

I also am not against the idea, but I feel uneasy about how it would be carried out, we have now the DNR, but when & if someone decides to commit suicide with assistance, when it comes down to it would you do it?
If you involve a Dr does that not go against his oath?.
In theory it's feasible in practice it's a minefield .

[evoman3957]

None of us asked to be born and none of us knew much about it, at the time, anyway. I guess as, under normal circumstances, none of us are going to ask to die either, we would also like to know very little about it at the time. Unfortunately, life is not that kind to a lot of people and they could end up living a life worse than death. To make them suffer, because some supposedly compationate God won't end it; is in my view ignorant, uncaring and self gratifying. However, as has been said, people being people........ANY system created for ANYTHING will be abused by some and so as fool proof a system, as can be created, must be created; to ensure it is ALWAYS the wishes of those people, who want to end their own lives, to do so.

[margaret*e]

I think reservations is the word I would use, as well as needing to be restricted.

[cookiecookuk]

i am all for it done under proper guidelines..can we not follow whatever guidelines they use in switzerland they seem to be doing it right.

 everybody should have that choice.

[saasher2012]

This is where the problem arises , if you commit suicide that's your choice, if you are assisted they that assist are committing an offence, even if the person who dies showed they where willing , it is a very grey area. The laws have to be watertight for it to be allowed & even then especially in the case where the one who wants to end their life cannot administer the cause of the death, the ones left behind will be subjected to suspicion. It is a very complicated & I'm afraid also open to abuse as another poster said.
I have every sympathy with anyone who is in this predicament , but they must realise at this moment in time they are putting the other people who assist them in grave danger, not all these cases are viewed with sympathy & the very real danger of being prosecuted is there, even if they go abroad to fulfil their goal.

[5129frederick]

I don't give a damn about Carey or anybody else changing their mind.  They tend to bend with the wind to remain in favour with the populace anyway.  Take the hand-wringing nonsense over homosexuality.   

People may well say yes, they would assist in ending a person's life, but when it boils down to it, would they?  Would they be mersenary to decide that on a given date, providing the person at the other end of it was fully aware of making up their own mind, be prepared to accept that on a certain date the person you have lived with and cared for all your life will be no more?  I can't recall off-hand the passage in the Bible, but it is clearly written that our bodies are not our own, that we are temples of God, therefore if we abuse our bodies, we are throwing back into God's face what He has decided to give us.  

I have been happily married for over thirty-five years and in that time we have both been granted, in the main, good health, but do you think for one nanosecond that if the tables are turned, if dementia, or far, far worse suddenly takes over mine or my wife's body and we, or both of us are confined to a wheelchair for the rest of our days, unable to have any quality of life, do you honestly think I could assist, or ask the doctor to assist in the administration of an injection or drugs to end it all?  Because I couldn't.  I could no more do that than turn off somebody's life support sytstem in a hospital, knowing that regardless of the lack of quality of life, when the end does finally come, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY CLING TO EVERY LAST BREATH.

As a practising Christian - Methodist, I feel it is God, and GOD ONLY who has the final say in this matter.

Perhaps there could be a minor safeguard in this respect that anybody assisting in euthanasia would automatically excluded from being a benificary of a will.  Medical science is improving in leaps and bounds - how do we know that the answer is not just two year's research away?  What right have we to play God?

[*.*..lola..*.*]

I am in favour of assisted dying but I do have concerns about how the system could be abused.

Let's not forget the recent controversy regarding the NHS Care Pathway:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9644287/NHS-millions-for-controversial-care-pathway.htm...

The majority of NHS hospitals in England are being given financial rewards for placing terminally-ill patients on a controversial “pathway” to death, it can be disclosed.

It was revealed that in some cases, patients were being put on the pathway without the knowledge or consent of relatives.

I think it would need to be very closely regulated and  possibly independantly of the NHS.

[**caution**opinion_ahead]

Lola, I think the LCP was something different, in that often the patient had not agreed to it and the relatives did not have the method explained to them.  

Frederick, I'm not sure anyone is suggesting a relative should do the assisting.  And for those with no belief in a god, why should they be held hostage to the desires, wants or remits of those who do?  And it really is holding them hostage.

Of course, there has to be safeguards.  But for a person who is mentally aware, has a life-limiting condition, and is in chronic pain, why should they not make the choice?    It is not about the relatives, who may or may not support the choice.  It is about respecting the wishes of someone who is suffering.

[bankhaunter]

but it is clearly written that our bodies are not our own, that we are temples of God, therefore if we abuse our bodies, we are throwing back into God's face what He has decided to give us.

The snag is that not everybody believes in a god or what is written in an old book.

When you have someone you deeply care about, asking you how much longer will they have to suffer, you might think differently.

Especially when, instead of peacefully passing away, perhaps with an overdose of morphine, they spend their last 10 minutes slowly suffocating to death.

[tommy.irene]

I agree with it.. If something happened to me and i couldnt move ..I hope the Doctors give me something to kill me..

[joe_bloggs*]

I've just read this comment in the Guardian:

2 years ago I was diagnosed with terminal stage 4c Follicular Thyroid Cancer which had metastasised to my brain, lungs and lymph nodes. I was given a prognosis of 6 months. Since then, I have had my thyroid removed, had three brain operations including 2 tumour removals, spent 26 weeks out of 52 last year as an in-patient in hospital. Currently I spend one day a week in a fantastic NHS Palliative centre which give me a vital signs check up, a foot massage and counselling, and on average I meet with one specialist consultant once a week. This week i learned I a new brain and a thread tumour may be my next challenge. Every day I have at least two chronic headaches, i can no longer walk and spend an average of 19 hours a day bed-ridden......bottom line my life awful and I am slowly deteriorating. I wouldn't wish my suffering on anyone and desperately want the proceed 'right to die' bill to be passed by government.

Whilst I recognise the rights of religious leaders, politicians and other interested parties to have a point of view, it is only those that either are terminally ill or look after the terminally ill that can have any kind of clue of what it is like to live in permanent excruciating pain in the full knowledge that tomorrow won't be better, not next week or next month.

I have tried so hard to recover but in my heart I know cure is not a possibility. I am not a quitter. I am a devoted husband and father but there comes a point when the relentlessness of pain just overwhelms. I recognise that there will be unintended consequences if the bill is passed but I do know that for people like me, knowing that I can choose the time of my passing will relieve the stress I feel as each day I strive to maintain a positive outlook. For any of you reading this who are currently healthy do understand that some of you will contract long term terminal illnesses. You won't want to die slowly in pain and a burden on loved ones I promise you"

Very moving,maybe all those who opose this bill should read this and think

[saasher2012]

I understand all this but with respect if his life is so bad & he wants to go, why can he not do it himself why expect someone else to do what you cannot . This is the bit I'm uneasy with. I am not against the principle it's the way it is carried out that bothers me.

[upthecreekyetagain]

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@saasher2012 wrote:
I understand all this but with respect if his life is so bad & he wants to go, why can he not do it himself why expect someone else to do what you cannot . This is the bit I'm uneasy with. I am not against the principle it's the way it is carried out that bothers me.

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How is he supposed to "do it himself"?

He needs assistance to get the appropriate drugs or would you prefer the family to have to undergo the trauma of finding him hanging from the end of a rope?

[auntieannie44]

Having read this thread through I am reminded of two occasions.  The first, nearly 40 years ago when my father was dying of cancer. He was unaware of this and was remarkably perky, so much so that i asked the Sister 'Are you sure he is dying?'  She said 'With what we have given him he cannot survive' He didn't.  The second was my MIL about 20 yrs ago.  She was dying with Motor Neuron and having a hard time with it.  My husband gave instructions that on no account should she be resussitated, and if possible should be helped to go , preferably in her sleep.  That didn't happen.  My BIL was with her at the end and she fought to the very last breath, in total awareness of what was happening.   Both these deaths took place in hospital and, although I was totally horrified when I was told what was happening to my father, over the years I have come to bless them for what amounted to a gentle act of kindness and, if and when my time comes I know which way I would prefer.

. 

[saasher2012]

That's a very cruel thing to say! This man is I've no doubt on some very powerful pain relief at home. Use your imagination!. Either way his family are going to suffer no matter how it's achieved . It's very easy for us who are not suffering or watching someone suffer to
Flippantly say this & that. When it comes down to it it's academic, at this moment in time it's against the law & until it can be made safe for either parties, that's how it will stay.

[saasher2012]

Further to that if you really mean to do it you just refuse further treatment & DNR.

[upthecreekyetagain]

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@saasher2012 wrote:
That's a very cruel thing to say! This man is I've no doubt on some very powerful pain relief at home. Use your imagination!. Either way his family are going to suffer no matter how it's achieved . It's very easy for us who are not suffering or watching someone suffer to
Flippantly say this & that. When it comes down to it it's academic, at this moment in time it's against the law & until it can be made safe for either parties, that's how it will stay.

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Not flippant and not cruel.

If anyone is being flippant then I would suggest you are when asking the question, "why can he not do it himself"

[cee-dee]

Up to a point, there's already assisted dying under the guise of end-of-life treatment.

The use of syringe drivers for the administration of diamorphine eases pain but also helps you on your way!