To think people with terminal illnesses should be allowed to choose assisted death?

What do people think about this then? Sounds like the young woman was getting medical attention and support but was suffering horribly. What else could/should have been done?

Agreed. Here's how the thread will go:

#1: Everyone should have the right to die, bodily autonomy, wouldn't put a dog through it, my right to choose, not a compulsion to die, if you disagree you must love suffering.

#2: What about coercion, vulnerable people, too risky, will be used as a money saving tool, NHS is broken, look at Canada. If you disagree you want to murder the vulnerable.

Saved you all some time there!

Why are these threads being posted repeatedly? You know you can do a search and get everyones opinions then instead of the same one twice a week.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-45117163

In January a young Dutch woman drank poison supplied by a doctor and lay down to die. Euthanasia and doctor-assisted suicide are legal in the Netherlands, so hers was a death sanctioned by the state. But Aurelia Brouwers was not terminally ill - she was allowed to end her life on account of her psychiatric illness.

The issue and legitimate concerns are about coerced dying aka murder.

Guaranteed acress to sufficiently funded and well provided health and social care including palliative support, and properly meeting the financial needs of the elderly, ill, and disabled. Then yes, assisted suicide could be debated as an uncoerced option.

Currently things seem to be heading in the opposite direction, which is concerning. The safety net is being weakened rather than strengthened. That's not ok irrespective of the assisted suicide debate.

Address that. Then, and only then, might it be acceptable to consider legalising the option of assisted suicide.

Having watched agonisingly slow deaths from painful cancer, I 100% agree. Let people choose

Re. "We do need to put sufficient safeguards in..."

What do you propose?

My dad has dementia, he was highly intelligent etc. People are more than their intellect and their memory. He has emotions, he can enjoy things, he can love, he is still human. I value him and he can be a happy forgetful. Yes, deterioration and death is painful. That is inevitable. He cannot consent to his own death, nor can anyone with severe dementia. That shouldn't really be part of your argument.

How do you work that out?

If I inject you with a lethal injection and you die, I have killed you. I'm pretty sure even those in favour of AD do not deny that in order to have your life ended this way, another person will need to to the physical act of ending it. Or would you prefer to use euphemisms?

Of course they should it's absolutely medieval in this day and age to force people to the bitter end making them live in a coma or drugged out with a dry mouth because they can't swollow anymore starving whilst their body shuts down slowly... It's a absolute stain on our society.

I fully support it but we need a tight safe guarding/ multiple assessments in place and time. The risk is people being pushed into it or feeling like a burden etc.

If I get motor neurone disease I would 100% look at ending it earlier as watching family members die from it was horrific

Yes absolutely this should be an option. For those saying people can commit survive-well, yes, but this often doesn’t work and people can survive potentially with horrific injuries/serous physical problems.

I actually think this should be opened up to anyone in “unbearable suffering” over a continuous period.

Yes to investing in palliative care, but this can’t relieve suffering in all cases. I want to improve MH support, support for people with chronic illness/disability, but as a nation we don’t seem to want to pay for this and realistically medical science doesn’t have cures or decent treatment for many issues. Personally I’m largely housebound due to s as chronic health condition, minimal NHS support or treatment options. Not saying I want to go, but I wouldn’t blame or want to stop someone from this route

Which wouldn’t mean another person was literally killing them 🤨

And how exactly are they going to do that? Another person will have to administer it.

For many years I wanted the option of assisted suicide legalised. Emphasis on option.

However, I simply can't support it in the current climate. This country seems to be heading more towards Canada's setup, rather than Switzerland's.

I'm not sure whether this is hearsay, and hopefully somebody with more knowledge will correct me if I'm wrong, but I heard that the MP behind the Bill currently being considered has made reference to assisted suicide lessening the financial 'burden' on the NHS. Extremely sinister, if true.

Then there's the government's proposed cuts to disability benefits, the low state pension compared to many other countries, the poor state of adult social care, NHS negligence, and insufficiently funded or provided palliative care. Concerning red flags, and quite the opposite of the necessary strong safeguards required before considering legalising assisted suicide.

I still lean towards wanting the option legalised but not without guaranteeing the vital safeguards. Without these there will be cases that are in effect state murder through means of neglect or coercion.

I believe you should be able to end it from the point of diagnosis if you wish, yes. Because it's your life, your body, and your autonomy.

I don't agree that it's a blanket statement of "that's a life not worth living" - it's an individual and personal statement of "this life is not worth living for me".

It's the same as abortion - some women are very happy to be pregnant, and some are not, and it is not usually argued that having an abortion means you must believe that having babies is a generally undesirable act, just that it is not something that would be positive in your own life at that particular time, for whatever personal reason it may be.

Where each person draws the line is different for them - some would want to attempt curative treatments at all costs, some would want palliative care and some would want to take an early opt out. All of those should be available to them, and they should be able to change their minds and switch between treatment options as well if they wish - because this is all part of having autonomy over our own bodies.

We do need to put sufficient safeguards in to minimise risks of people being coerced when it's not their own genuine desire, but I do think that is possible.

And it has already been proposed that medical staff will not be obliged to take part if they are ethically opposed, so anyone who chooses to participate in this kind of care would be someone who sees the value in it, as many people do.

I feel very comforted by the idea that this will hopefully be available in my lifetime. I would like the choice.
I see this similar to abortion - if you don’t agree with assisted dying then don’t choose it for yourself.

I am sure there are some very sad cases of women being pressured in to terminating pregnancies. That doesn’t mean the option should be taken away completely.

I agree with you OP but some mumsnetters seem to think that assisted dying means mandatory dying. It’s really odd.
The individual should be given the choice IMO.

I agree. Nobody should be forced to live a life in pain.

Do you not follow the news OP? This is going through Parliament. Huge amount of debate and material out there for you to get your teeth into without starting a thread in AIBU. Google Esther Rantzen for a start.

https://bills.parliament.uk/bills/3774

I think every palliative care home should have a room where people can "check out early" if it gets too much.

Let people have the choice in their final days.

No. I don't agree with killing people.

I don’t think that’s what the OP is suggesting is it?

If a person is dying they should have the right to do so at a time of their choosing with control, peace, and dignity.

Of course.

I'm against it simply because one day the Tories will get in again and I don't trust them to be ethical