Assisted Dying. For or against?

Why would it have to be in hospitals Janeainsworth? If it were me I’d want my death arranged in the comfort of my own home, with family there if they wished.

Medics can opt out of certain procedures such as termination of pregnancy at present if they want. Sure there could be a way of managing this.

A yes from me too . I would not want to “hang on by a thread” for month after month causing distress to me and my family . Henry Marsh’s books are excellent .

Thank you for your replies Doodledog and Polarbear.
Not being a medical person I’d say I wouldn’t but then I’m putting that responsibility onto someone else aren’t I?

That’s exactly my concern. I would hope that doctors and nurses would never be put into a position where they had to end someone’s life against their own professional ethics and against their own better judgement.
It is all very well talking about euthanasia being carried out in other countries, but if assisted dying were to be legalised here, it would presumably be carried out in NHS hospitals.

Remember what happened with the Liverpool pathway, which was introduced into NHS hospitals with the best of intentions?
Its use was discontinued because hospitals were given targets and patients were put on it without proper informed consent.

Yes definitely if it is organised along the same lines as Medical Assistance In Dying is in Canada.

Perhaps there should be a National vote amongst the over 60s to resolve the issue, I’m sure it’s the relatives that want granny kept going no matter what, rather than what granny wants.

It's a Yes from me

Yes definitely.

A definite yes. It would make our later years so much more relaxed, if we knew that if things become unendurable, we could opt out.

Most certainly yes.

Its a yes please from me.

Yes.

Probably, but I worry about misuse.

Dr Gordon Macdonald CE of “Care not Killing” said he was disappointed there was another “push to legalise assisted suicide and euthanasia in the midst of the Covid pandemic. “Our current laws protect the most vulnerable in our society, the elderly the sick and disabled from feeling pressurised into ending their lives, exactly as we see in the handful of places around the world that allow assisted suicide or euthanasia.”

My understanding of Dignitas is that the person must be able to take the life ending medication themselves, it cannot be administered by a third party.

This has resulted is some ending their lives 'early' before they're unable to self administer the medication.

Interestingly, when I made my first post on this thread it was almost like a reflex action and I hadn't thought about my Christian faith. I've since given this more thought and my original post stands.

I think those who want assisted dying should be able to have that choice. I hope never to be in that position but if I was I would want to be able to end my life with dignity.

Yes please. I’ve got a stash of opiates, which I intend to take with a bottle of brandy, sitting outside on a subzero night!

Yes!

janeainsworth

Can I ask those of you who are in favour of assisted dying, would you be willing to inject someone with a drug in the sure knowledge that it would kill them?

Making a distinction here between that situation, and giving someone pain relief sufficient to keep them out of pain but which may hasten their demise?

It’s a good question. Not being a medical person I’d say I wouldn’t but then I’m putting that responsibility onto someone else aren’t I? Difficult. I am in favour though. I’ve got two family members hanging on by a thread. Have been for a long time. Both recently got ill and were admitted to hospital. Immediate family thought that’s it, that’s the end. And, understandably, after so long caring for the person, started to look to the future. Hospitals patched them both up and shipped them back home. Both even worse but still hanging on. Family back where they started. It’s cruel to everyone. Both have said they just want to be allowed to die.

I'm another 'yes'.

I'm not sure that I approve of someone being able to say too far in advance that they don't want to be resuscitated, though. I'd be fine with it being part of a pre-operative discussion with a surgeon, or at some other time when it might be a likely scenario, but I wouldn't be happy with it happening down the line, in circumstances that the patient might not have considered.

If the patient is compos mentis, and is suffering from an incurable disease, then I think it is cruel to insist that they stay alive, and even more so to take steps to ensure that they do, and would absolutely support a law that allowed for euthanised death.

In response to Janeainsworth's question, yes, I think I would be ok with administering the fatal dose, although of course I wouldn't want to do it, and am pretty sure that it would never be allowed. A doctor or nurse with the proper training (and who was in favour of the process) would be a far more sensible person to do it quickly and painlessly, with the full consent of the patient.

I understand (but don't share) religious objections, but don't really understand why people are uneasy about it because of a lack of faith in human nature. Any changes in the law would have to insist on tight regulation and procedures so it would be impossible for someone to bump off a rich but ailing relative in the hope of an inheritance or such.

I would like to think that we would have a choice to say “enough” if we were at the point of suffering from a condition or disease that made life unbearable.
I do have reservations about relatives making that decision on behalf of someone else. It could be abused by some who stood to benefit from inheritance.

It’s a definite yes from me and my dh

MissAdventure

One of the arguments against euthanasia is that with appropriate support, everyone should be able to have a 'good death'.

That certainly isn't the case though, sadly.

But that doesn't happen, does it? There are all sorts of really awful conditions where the person suffocates or chokes to death (MND?) If that person wants to go before such an awful end why should they be denied it? Why can't we, as individuals, make our own decisions ? Too soon for one, might be too late for another.

I have concerns. Those who are vulnerable in our society such as those with learning disabilities receive much poorer standards of care than other people. I worry what this would mean for them.

One of the arguments against euthanasia is that with appropriate support, everyone should be able to have a 'good death'.

That certainly isn't the case though, sadly.

Def yes. I would def like someone to do it for me and would also support the final dose if that was what was asked for. I’ve watched several people die long, slow deaths, in pain with no quality of life and asking to be allowed to die. This is def something we need to relook at.