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

[ByPoisedOliveMoose]

If someone is suffering with no hope of recovery, shouldn’t they have the right to end their life on their own terms? AIBU to think assisted dying should be a legal option for those with terminal illnesses?

Of course it should be an option . I don't understand this life at all costs viewpoint, surely quality of life is as if not more important

You know how we don't allow capital punishment because of the risk of one innocent person being killed? Same with this, the risk of people being pressured into it, being afraid of being a burden, is too high for me. Furthermore, it's too 'easy' for medical professionals/the government to resort to rather than provide decent palliative care.

Yanbu, I hope it’s something that comes to be an option.

So because someone is terminal, they should just die straight away? How about actually providing quality end of life care?

As soon as you allow AD for one group of people, you have begun the slippery slope. Take a look at the likes of Canada to see where that slope leads.

I would extend it to any progressive illness with no cure. If I am diagnosed with dementia or muscular dystrophy I want to be able to choose the point when life is no longer worth it for me.

People always point to Canada as an example of fucking it up. And they have. But Switzerland have been operating this for decades with very effective safeguards. I don’t want to have to die even earlier because I want some dignity in dying but have to be well enough to travel to Switzerland to make it happen (plus the cost).

On the face of it I agree.

There are so many issues though and probably too much to work through.

At what stage would this be allowed? If it's someone with dementia, for example, and they decide they want this early on, then get worse and say they don't, what happens?

Very often people who would choose assisted dying aren't in any state to make medical decisions, so do we allow families to make the choice?

When would we allow this? With a year to live? 6 months? 3 months?

How can we be sure there's no pressure from families?

When we say terminally ill do we just mean physically? There have been cases where people with mental illnesses have been allowed, or people with life long illnesses that cause pain etc.

There's so much to unpick before we can vote this in.

I think people should have the choice. It’s what I would want if I was in agony and wanted a swift end to a long and painful road.

Does the UK have a good track record when it comes to not fucking things up then?

there is a bill going through parliament on this very issue

Of course they should. I'm not even sure why we have to wait for an illness to be terminal, tbh.

I’d rather we focussed on a better end of life. Good palliative care.

too many things can go wrong with assisted death.

Exactly this. My life - my choice.

Did you miss the word "option" in the OP?

Technically anyone can end their life at any time. Why should someone have to do that for you?

Out of interest, are you against things like advance directives to request no attempt at resuscitation, because of the risk of being pressured etc?

I'm aware it's different because AD is "active" whereas not resuscitating someone is more passive. But still, it could result in the death of someone who has been pressured into it.

It's never this simple though. What's a terminal illness? If you were diagnosed with MS tomorrow you could say you were terminally ill with a progressive disease. But should you be able to end your life at that point? If not, when? Personally I think if you start allowing that, you're already starting to imply that's a life not worth living, and that's very problematic.

So because someone is terminal, they should just die straight away?

I appreciate some people are against AD, but it's disingenuous to suggest that anyone is saying that people with a terminal diagnosis should all immediately just die.

I am being treated for cancer stage 4, luckily it’s curable. People don’t realise you can live years and even be NED when in pallivite care. Even with palative chemotherapy, it’s widely known as maintenance chemo now.
I understand for people with no quality of life eg MND as it progresses, you should have a choice.

I don't know a single person who doesn't think it should be allowed, very obviously with appropriate safeguards. There's certainly plenty to debate around the legal framework for it, but I'm in favour.

So many of us have witnessed loved ones in prolonged and agonising terminal illnesses that nobody should have to suffer. Yes, palliative care should be focused on and improved. But that doesn't take away from the fact that sometimes they just can't do enough to give someone more than continued and painful existence. I'd be interested to hear what medical professionals think; every nurse I've ever met has told me they too wish they could help people once it gets to a certain point.

I pray that if and when I'm in that situation, I will be allowed to choose the point of no return and be given some dignity around it. My daughters are well aware of my wishes, and I am well aware of my own mum feeling exactly the same.

Switzerland's health service isn't breaking at the seams and its social care isn't up against the wall. Imagine thinking that the financial and social landscape of people making assisted dying a reality here to be akin to Switzerland - it's breathtakingly naive.

Having seen and being present with close loved ones slowly dying when they didn’t want to be here I 1 million percent agree. Traumatic for everyone particularly the person dying. I wholeheartedly support assisted dying if this is what the person wants and they have capacity.

I’m actually pretty disgusted that 1 in 5 people who’ve voted so far don’t agree with you.

Of course you are NBU.

If I understand correctly, pain management now at end of line operates within a thin line between elevating pain and hastening end of life just by the very nature of the drug prescribed.

Yes you can live for years, but the final months and weeks can still be awful.

It shouldn’t have to be an either or. People should be able to get palliative care and then choose to die.

I do agree that palliative care is not adequate as it is and assisted dying might make it even less of a government priority though.