Assisted Suicide Debate Revived in the U.K.
EmailA new report from the U.K.’s Commission on Assisted Dying has reignited the debate over assisted suicide in Great Britain.
The 400-page report, written by doctors, lawyers and a former police commissioner, called for legalizing assisted suicide in England and Wales, and outlined a set of safeguards to ensure a new law would not be abused.
“There should be a change for a tightly defined group of people who are terminally ill, of sound mind and not being pressured into a decision,” said commission member Barbara Young.
Assisted suicide would only be allowed for people over the age of 18 who have 12 months or less to live and who are deemed mentally competent. Dementia patients and those with locked-in syndrome – a rare neurological disorder marked by complete paralysis except for eye movement — would not be eligible. Assisted suicide would require the approval of two doctors and observance of a two-week waiting period after the decision was made.
Young said there was broad support for legalizing assisted suicide in England and Wales. “About 80 percent of the public says they approve of assisted suicide for people who are terminally ill,” said Young, and those who wish to die “should be given support in ending their life because they are in intolerable pain and suffering.”
The year-long study drew on evidence from 1,300 sources, but its funding has caused some controversy: Commissioned by the rigth-to-die group Dignity in Dying, the report’s funding came exclusively from well-known supporters of assisted suicide, such as best-selling author Terry Pratchett, who has early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, and businesman Bernard Lewis.
Critics of legalizing assisted suicide have cried foul, saying the report as biased and flawed.
“The safeguards proposed by this commission are really inadequate,” said Dr. John Wiles, chairman of Care Not Killing. For example, Wiles said, the waiting period was too short. “I’ve seen people distressed and worried for two weeks who when you brought their symptoms and their disease under control have really appreciated the fact they’re still alive.”
The British Medical Association did not cooperate with the study and said it believed most doctors did not want to legalize assisted suicide. A government spokesperson said there were no plans to change the law.
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What a crying shame that reasonable assisted suicide laws like the one proposed aren’t the law in the U.K., U.S. and elsewhere. If you have ever had extreme pain you know how slowly time goes by, how you can’t sleep or enjoy much of anything, even eating. Keep in mind that everyone has a different biological sensation of pain. Some suffer much more than others, even with strong pain meds. Now just imagine that feeling of severe pain and illness for months, with no hope of recovery, just greater pain levels, immobility and eventually death. On top of that you are a great financial and emotional burden on your family and loved ones, who are suffering right along with you.
If someone is of sound mind, the decision should be theirs and theirs alone to have a legal assisted suicide.
As a Christian I find it impossible to believe that God or Jesus would want us to prolong anyone’s suffering in this way. And my religious beliefs, like anyone else’s should not enter into the legality of such a law.
The fact that the vast majority of us want such a law on the books shows the wisdom of it, as most of us have witnessed this suffering with a loved one.
Posted by: Librarian53 | January 6, 2012, 9:46 am 9:46 am