Right-To-Die Case Starts

I truly hope this woman wins her case- good luck x

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1251250,00.html

 

Do you? Do you really think it's appropriate for a Doctor to administer what amounts to a fatal overdose of a painkiller which is nothing more than heroin! Surely you would prefer a system which allowed for euthenasia by the more humane use of an anaesthetic followed by a drug to relax the muscles and stop the heart whilst unconscious?

I know what I would prefer if it were me!

 

fwiw I'd rather she was allowed to opt for stepping off the coil with some dignity, I'm not convinced that ceasing sustenance allows that.

 

this will make me sound like im back tracking- what i mean by winning her case, is that i hope she wins the right to be allowed to die- i dont agree with her choice of drug at all, but i agree with her having the right to chose.

 

Doctors should not be asked to kill people on purpose; they do it often enough by accident. :wink:

 

Solicitation to murder is a crime in itself, so she cannot win if it means asking someone else to administer the lethal dose. Allowing a person to die in as pain-free a manner as possible is perfectly justifiable and practised already, but ending a life that is not considered to be almost at an end anyway would be anathema to most medics, I'm sure.

 

I think I know what you mean BH, this is a can of worms though in my opinion, a bit like "never talk to your friends about Politics or Religion"

We all have the right to die, in fact it's compulsary. This lady has decided, in my opinion, to mark her stamp on this Earth by stirring this issue back into the media spotlight. She is really begging the question should we have legal assisted suicide as some other Nations do. In my opinion no, if I was religious I might think differently, I however believe we only have one life- ever. To end it though is a personal decision, and not a responsibility I would ever wish to be imposed on someone else, especially someone I love. I understand it is a fragile argument and I hope never to be in her situation.

 

She has already tried several tmes to kill herself but failed.I beleive theat we all have the right to choose how and when we die esp in a Terminal state.If she really did want to end it all then theres plenty of Heroin on the streets.I am sure that the Courts would look favourably on the person delivering the fatal does unless she does it herself.

 

Hope I'm never in that situation , does'nt bear thinking about , wont give my opinion , never been through it so dont feel qualified to voice my thoughts about it , :cry:

 

I am always inetersted in military opinions on these kind of stories, the fact that we would end someone's life in an instant if our job required it for no other reason than we are told they are the enemy but we are hesitant to allow a sick civvy the right to a dignified end. I for one hope she gets what she wants, it is her decision and her's alone. I only hope I have the freedom to make that choice should I ever need to.

 

I saw her on the news last night, she gave a very good interview and I found myself feeling really sorry for her, not just because of her predicament, but because she has already tried to end her own life through desperation and the fact that she doesn't want to suffer the indignity of not being able to take care of herself because she knows her condition is going to degrade her abilities still further. She just wants to die on her own terms and with some dignity (her words, not mine), I'd like to hope that, God Forbid, if it were me or someone I loved, I would have the courage to feel the same. I, for one, hope she gets what she wants.

 

Suicide is not actually against the law in this country. Aiding or abetting a suicide is and can come with a sentence of up to 14 yrs and that includes Doctors. Doctors take a hippacratic oath to preserve life. This is a very sticky subject. If this young lady was a dog you would humanely put them to sleep. Pallative medicine has come on leaps and bounds in modern times. There are sooo many drugs one can take and be administered to relieve suffering-legally. What a terrible situation to be in to want to live, but be so sick that your only option is to end it. She should be allowed to go, but safely, consented and legally!!

 

Suicide is no longer a criminal offence but it remains a civil offence. In practice however nobody is ever prosecuted for killing or attempting to kill themselves. Assisting a suicide or an attempted suicide remains a crime.

I strongly believe in autonony so believe that an adult of sound mind should be able to elect to have a good death (euthanasia) if they choose, subject to stringent safeguards to prevent abuse.

Doctors in Britain do not, contrary to popular myth take the Hypcratic Oath, but simply are under a professional duty to help relieve suffering and preserve life. It is not absolute however, evinced by the routine involuntary euthanasia that arises in this country through the denial or delay or treatment for various reasons (indirect euthanasia) or through excessive administration of painkillers in th terminal stages of an illness - though here it is a narrow line as severe pain can be difficult to control and dose titration can genuinely accidentally result in death.

 

Hippocrates described a code for fellow physicians that suggested, among many other things, that doctors should do their patients no harm, echoed down the years by many including Florence Nightingale.

It's a bit difficult to suggest this any more, as most drugs have side-effects that could be considered harmful. The difference in this woman's case is that the responsibility for administering a lethal dose of whichever drug appears to be being laid at doctors' doors, which can never be acceptable. If you are brave enough to make the decision, you would have to be brave enough to carry out the deed. As to the suggestion that suicide could ever be considered a criminal offence - what sanction could there be?

 

Doctors and nurses (like myself) see this kind of situation all of the time. We trained because we care (-hippacratic oath). I would gladly help this lady out, knowing drugs, knowing side-affects, knowing EXACTLY how to stop her pain! I just don't fancy 14 yrs in slammer!!!!