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THE RIGHT TO DIE
Euthanasia refers to the deliberate killing of a person supposedly for
the benefit of that person. It is sometimes termed “mercy killing”.
What is Euthanasia?
Current campaigns are focused on VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA. This is where a person makes a
conscious decision to die and asks for help to do this.
82% of people who responded said yes
In 2004 Dignity in Dying asked the question: “Do you think a person who is suffering
unbearably from a terminal illness should be allowed by law to receive medical help to die,
if that is what they want?”
ASSISSTED DYING FOR THE TERMINALLY ILL BILL
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200405/ldselect/ldasdy/86/86i.pdf
Dignity in Dying campaigns for Voluntary Euthanasia to be made
legal in Britain. They believe that if a patient with an incurable disease has signed a declaration then doctors should
be allowed to help that person to die peacefully.
They argue that voluntary euthanasia is quick and humane way to end a person’s unbearable suffering and that of the family.
They believe that everyone has the ‘right’ to decide how and when he or she should die.
http://www.dignityindying.org.uk/
VOLUNTARY EUTHANSIA IS ILLEGAL IN THE UK
Voluntary euthanasia is treated as murder even if the person dying has asked for assistance to die from their doctor.
What does this mean?
The Current Law in the UK
Many people would like to see this changed.
If a doctor at the patient’s request gives him or her a lethal injection then this would be classed as MURDER.
If a doctor places the lethal injection by the patient’s side and the patient injects him or herself the doctor
would be charged with ASSISTED SUICIDE.
The Suicide Act of 1961 stated that anyone that assists in a suicide could receive up to 14 years
in prison.
However 92 Britons have gone abroad to Dignitas in Switzerland (where Voluntary Euthanasia is legal).
No family member has been prosecuted for helping.
The Current Law in the UK
http://www.dignitas.ch/index.php?lang=en
Dignitas have clear criteria that must be met.
Due of the inconsistencies between the law and prosecution pressures groups and individuals, such as Debbie Purdy,
have tried to get the law clarified.
Clarification Needed?
No guidance has yet been
published
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/5942603/Debbie-Purdy-wins-House-of-Lords-victory-to-have-assisted-suicide-law-clarified.html
#She launched a case to clarify whether or
not her husband would risk being prosecuted if he helped her travel to a
Dignitas clinic in Switzerland to die.
Purdy's case ended on in 2009 with the decision that the Director of Public Prosecutions had to clarify how the Suicide Act 1961 is to be enforced in
England and Wales
Lord Joffe's bill, which had its second reading on Friday 12th May 2006, proposed that after signing a legal declaration that they wanted to die, a patient's doctor could prescribe a lethal dose of medication that the patient could take themselves in order to end their life. This could only be done if the following applied:
•Only people with less than six months to live•who are suffering unbearably•deemed to be of sound mind •not depressed
Assisted Dying Bill 2006
The House of Lords unanimously rejected any change in the law to permit euthanasia, arguing “It would be next to impossible to ensure that all acts of euthanasia were truly
voluntary and that any liberalisation of the law was not abused.”
One of the main arguments against legalising euthanasia is that it even if we come up with very strict criteria of when it can be used, within time
this will become more and more lenient.
Why might someone oppose a change in legislation surrounding Euthanasia?
However evidence for the Netherlands suggests that this will not happen.
DOCTOR-AIDED SUICIDE: No Slippery Slope, Study Findshttp://
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/09/070926191348.htm
“I sincerely believe that everyone has the right to die with dignity and understanding.”
(Mo Mowlam, Former Cabinet Minister)
“I am writing to let you know of my support for your campaign to legalise voluntary
euthanasia.”(Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London in a letter
to Dignity in Dying)
Support in Parliament
The British Medical Association dropped its historic opposition to euthanasia during 2005, adopting a
neutral stance on the issue.
Doctors are no longer against changes to the law which would allow terminally ill patients to be helped to die.
"The BMA should not oppose legislation which alters the criminal law but should press for robust
safeguards both for patients and for doctors who not wish to be involved in such procedures."
“I have tried every type of medical treatment offered. If I
am allowed to choose when and how I die I will feel that I will have kept hold of my dignity.
That is how I want my family to remember me-as someone who respected the law and asked in turn for the law to respect my
rights”
Famous Cases
(DIANE PETTY, mother of two, motor neurone disease sufferer. Diane lost her
case at the court of human rights.)
The European Court of Human Rights ruled on Monday that
terminally-ill Diane Pretty did not have the right to die.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1958270.stm
Diane Petty Dieshttp://
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/1983457.stm
Arguments for changes in the lawhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/argument-for-legalised-voluntary-euthanasia/436.htmlDoctors argue about legislation http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/doctors-explain-the-pros-and-cons-of-legalising-assisted-dying/434.htmlAnn Turners storyhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/a-story-of-assisted-suicide/459.htmlShould people be allowed to die? (radio discussion)http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7677000/7677533.stm
Videos to watch for more information
http://www.compassionindying.org.uk/compassion-in-dying-downloads.html
http://www.friends-at-the-end.org.uk/
http://www.notdeadyetuk.org/index.html
http://www.carenotkilling.org.uk/
http://www.dyingwell.org.uk/
Opposition Organisations
