Legalising assisted dying option, do you support it?

[ForTheSakeOfThePenguin]

Hi,

I just realised there is a group advocating for the option of assisted dying for the terminally ill in the UK.

I am not a member of the group but this is an option I would like to have if I ever come to the point of having an illness that has taken away my quality of life (and that of the people around me) with no hope for improvement.

I've just added my name to Dignity in Dying's public record of support for legalising assisted dying. If you agree, add your name - it only takes ten seconds: action.dignityindying.org.uk/page/107124/petition/1?utm_source=em_share

Thank you

Personally no, I would rather see totally top class palliative care for all who need it.
I'm never convinced the checks and balances can be made strong enough that a vulnerable and ill person won't be able to be manipulated or persuaded to go sooner than they would like.

I'm all for it

We put animals to sleep to stop them suffering, yet watch the people we love die in such pain. Everyone should have the choice

There's a really big thread that been running on this for the last couple of weeks in AIBU. Yes I support it. Having just seen a friend go through the last weeks of cancer and die in a hospice with nice, caring staff, it was shit; medicalised, undignified and not a particularly peaceful end. By it's nature, done illnesses and conditions so not allow a good "natural" end. Checks and balances are hard but not impossible and not a reason not to do it.

Yup

I’m all for it too so long as it is very tightly regulated. A family member has had an MND diagnosis and the prospect of what his last years/months might be like is awful. He’s considering going abroad, but people shouldn’t have to do that.

I'm in agreement. We keep people alive with medication far too long and then they have an awful death.

When people are in the thick of a horrible disease, they might genuinely think they want to die, and then they recover and are glad that it wasn't an option. I have heard about many examples of this.

I agree with this. Could you imagine our government being in charge of whether to find more palliative care or more assisted dying clinics? There are financial implications to this, which is something that always worries me.

It is much less complicated with animals, though.

There are reasons why people might stand to gain something from another person dying, in the way that they would never benefit from an animal dying.

There is less at stake with animals because they are lesser life forms. A human can change their mind, can have regrets, can think they want to die when actually they don't.

IMO it's just too risky and there are too many unknowables.

I’m in favour. I dread dying in a protracted painful way.

I agree actually that there is a financial aspect to it (more than one) and we shouldn't pretend that there isn't. But the slippery slope argument is a weak one and if used as the main reason not to do this, cuts off the very real interests and desires many people have over their own autonomy. We need to confront this ..not least because it IS now available elsewhere and actually UK people are having to end their lives sooner than they might because they have to be well enough and able to fund travel.

I'm against, because it simply would not be possible to put enough in place to genuinely regulate this.

People are prone to errors, laziness, and thinking they know things that they don't. Yes, even our best medical professionals.

I'm concerned that these deaths would be signed off by busy doctors with a pile of paperwork to get through.

They'd say it wouldn't happen, there would be regulations etc., but the reality is it would, especially with the state of our health service.

I do feel for people dying horrible drawn out deaths, and I dread that myself too. It's hideous. But the alternative is too risky.

I'm for it. A peaceful death should be an available choice.

I am in principle but have read too many threads on here where people seem to feel that anyone over 70 is a waste of resources. I'm just not sure how we could stop it being abused.

I agree. If I have zero quality of life, why keep someone alive. You’d put a dog down, why not let humans choose this.

I agree, it should be, in a perfect world.

But you have to look at the reality of the situation we are in, with the health service, with human error, and human greed, and how this would actuallly be implemented in reality.

It wouldn't be as simple as all those wanting a peaceful death can have it. It would be abused.

People would be killed who should not be killed - this is an absolute certainty. The price of bringing this in is that some people would be murdered.

It's just not worth the cost.

I'm very pro-assisted dying and have already added my name to Dignity in Dying's campaign.
A relative has recently been diagnosed with terminal oesophageal cancer and faces their last months increasingly unable to get even puréed food down, coughing and choking on tiny amounts. We've been looking in to dignitas but it costs many thousands of pounds to get there. They have strict rules and regulations around it in Switzerland so I don't know why people think it wouldn't be the same here.
far better to allow it in a regulated way than to leave desperate, sick people to waste away and die a frankly hideous death.

Although I’m all for it I do understand peoples concerns.

How is it working in other countries? I know I’ve seen Canada mentioned as a place the system has had ethical issues. What about Switzerland - I’ve heard of people going there and not heard of the same ethical issues- how do they safeguard the people involved in assisted dying. It would be useful to know what system could be adopted here.

@Crabacus has you found out much about the legal situation for relatives travelling with someone? It’s been briefly mentioned by our relative, though he’s not near needing to do it yet, I can see he is the exact type of person that would want to go and end his life the way he wants. Just scary that family could find themselves in court if they facilitate and go with them??

@Crabacus @Weallgottachangesometime They do a lot of things better than us in Switzerland. It's a much better quality of life on all fronts. It doesn't mean it's transferrable to the UK. They have much higher taxes and a completely different system to us.

Sadly, our UK health system is just not geared up for doing this properly.

I agree with this. Terrifying what could happen. It's bad enough without assisted dying on the table for some elderly. Aren't some people being put on the Liverpool pathway without any consultation? Assisted dying would be even worse.

if you have ever lived through the last few weeks of a terminally ill loved one - the pain, distress, lack of dignity that not even the best palliative care can fully counter, you might have a different view. if you have lived through it and still don't agree with assisted dying, then we'll just have to agree to differ.

I think talk of the NHS and how it might cope is jumping ahead a step into the 'how could this work' and not addressing the first step of the principle of 'should this be permitted'.

1. Yes absolutely I think it should, with all of the correct checks. I know of people receiving palliative care who were denied a dignified death and had unpleasant, painful and protracted deaths. How is that humane?

1. I don't think anyone is saying this should be done by the NHS. It would need to form part of the discussion but doesn't need to be assumed. AFAIK Dignitas in Switzerland, which is the best known example, is a private enterprise.

You could argue by making it private, you're making it something only the wealthy can afford but that's not different to today where only the wealthy can afford the transport costs, Dignitas costs and potentially legal costs for relatives who may be accused of assisting which is illegal.

By making it possible in the UK, you would remove a large chunk of the transport, the threat of legal action and the potential legal costs, which makes it far more accessible than today, even if private and not universally accessible.

Personally, I would like to see it available but I don't see this as coming under NHS remit and I wouldn't want their resources diverted there.

@Weallgottachangesometime in Switzerland it's for terminal cases or deteriorating ones. You have to apply and be accepted, after medical and psych assessment. In Canada, the concerns are around the possible extension of it for those suffering from mental I'll health such as chronic depression and done instances where it has been clumsily presented to people who haven't had good care packages set up. In California you can apply if you have less than 6 months to live and are issued with self administered meds. It's v complex but as I said above, that's not a reason not to do it.

Im not sure if you're aware, but euthanasia has recently been legalised in Spain: www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56446631.amp

I'm fully in support 🙂