Assisted Suicide

[canveyshrimper]

This has been well covered in the press recently, mainly due to the case of the 23 year old who was paralysed playing rugby. His view was that he was worthless or not complete, he actually attempted to kill himself without success, until finally his parents took him to Switzerland where he was helped on his way to the after life (if there is one).

Not a cheerful subject but what is the SZ view on this.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/7679641.stm

 

[MK Shrimper]

I totally believe that its an individuals choice to die where and when they want to. As long as there's no coercion and the individual is competent to make the decision then the state should butt out.
I believe the parents, now faced with the loss of their son, are being investigated over this assisted suicide.

 

[graysblue]

This has been well covered in the press recently, mainly due to the case of the 23 year old who was paralysed playing rugby. His view was that he was worthless or not complete, he actually attempted to kill himself without success, until finally his parents took him to Switzerland where he was helped on his way to the after life (if there is one).

Not a cheerful subject but what is the SZ view on this.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/7679641.stm

i guess its their life and their choice,who are we to judge?

 

[BrettieAngell]

I totally believe that its an individuals choice to die where and when they want to. As long as there's no coercion and the individual is competent to make the decision then the state should butt out.
I believe the parents, now faced with the loss of their son, are being investigated over this assisted suicide.

Agreed, I hope his parents don't face charges because that would be seriously wrong IMO.

 

[BLUEBLOOD]

An incredibly sad story .. i think i would just flip my lid if anything like that happened to me or one of my loved ones

FWIW i agree with assisted suicide
















and compulsory euthanasia for the over :cricko: s

 

[canveyshrimper]

I totally believe that its an individuals choice to die where and when they want to. As long as there's no coercion and the individual is competent to make the decision then the state should butt out.
I believe the parents, now faced with the loss of their son, are being investigated over this assisted suicide.

I've just seen that the case file has been handed to the CPS, I hope that common sense will prevail and there will be no charges bought on the parents, who after all carried out the wishes of their son.

 

[Aberdeen Shrimper]

I totally believe that its an individuals choice to die where and when they want to. As long as there's no coercion and the individual is competent to make the decision then the state should butt out.
I believe the parents, now faced with the loss of their son, are being investigated over this assisted suicide.

Totally agree Paul, but there are these cults in the US that brain wash young and impressionable people in to thinking that they should take there own lives because that is "what god wants" And after a period of time they are convinced that it is their own idea to want to take their lives.

But i do agree that as you say, an individual should be able to take their own life.....And as for it being against the law to commit suicide....what a joke

 

[leathers20]

a sad story, but i personally think he could have done alot more with his life! hard to judge unless you've been in that situation but i'd like to think, although it would get em down, i would continue my life and enjoy it still! i can not comprehend ever wanting to end my life

 

[SUFC_Al]

everyone reacts to situations differently. This guy was a decent rugby player and then was paralysed from the chest down, it's impossible to comprehend what must be going through his mind or the mind of any other individual who had suffered a similar fate. It must be soul destroying. There are those who have strong minds and willingness to carry on in the face of adversity and there are those whose mind just can't accept what's happened to them and they fall in to depression.

Personally if i lost the use of one of my hands/arms and couldn't play the guitar I'd be absolutely mortified.

 

[Pubey]

I really don't want to get sucked into this debate, but I have strong reservations about PAS.

I don't think you'll be able to read the full article... but this is a well know paper about PAS, which claims that in 22% of physician assisted suicide, there were complications which lead to distress, wrong dosage etc. (note: this is in the New England Journal for Medicine). Also the BMA completely opposes the idea, something that I doubt will change in the near future. Just consider how the patient-doctor relationship will be, especially for terminally ill patients, or palliative care teams (an area where huge advances are currently being made) and also the vulnerable.

Part of me agrees that it's your life, and that you can't stop someone from wanting to commit suicide. However I completely disagree that it is the role of a Doctor to end a life, when they sign up to the Hipppocratic oath "To practice and prescribe to the best of my ability for the good of my patients, and to try to avoid harming them."

 

[MK Shrimper]

However I completely disagree that it is the role of a Doctor to end a life, when they sign up to the Hipppocratic oath "To practice and prescribe to the best of my ability for the good of my patients, and to try to avoid harming them."

But aren't they being harmed mentally by being kept as a virtual vegetable against their will?

 

[graysblue]

I really don't want to get sucked into this debate, but I have strong reservations about PAS.

I don't think you'll be able to read the full article... but this is a well know paper about PAS, which claims that in 22% of physician assisted suicide, there were complications which lead to distress, wrong dosage etc. (note: this is in the New England Journal for Medicine). Also the BMA completely opposes the idea, something that I doubt will change in the near future. Just consider how the patient-doctor relationship will be, especially for terminally ill patients, or palliative care teams (an area where huge advances are currently being made) and also the vulnerable.

Part of me agrees that it's your life, and that you can't stop someone from wanting to commit suicide. However I completely disagree that it is the role of a Doctor to end a life, when they sign up to the Hipppocratic oath "To practice and prescribe to the best of my ability for the good of my patients, and to try to avoid harming them."

some very good points and in truth none of us know unless we were ever put into those situations.

 

[ldnfatso]

This has been well covered in the press recently, mainly due to the case of the 23 year old who was paralysed playing rugby. His view was that he was worthless or not complete, he actually attempted to kill himself without success, until finally his parents took him to Switzerland where he was helped on his way to the after life (if there is one).

Not a cheerful subject but what is the SZ view on this.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hereford/worcs/7679641.stm

don't do it Harry!

 

[Jonny_Stokes]

I totally believe that its an individuals choice to die where and when they want to. As long as there's no coercion and the individual is competent to make the decision then the state should butt out.

Spot on, MK.

 

[Pubey]

But aren't they being harmed mentally by being kept as a virtual vegetable against their will?

but why should doctors be required to carry this out?

 

[MK Shrimper]

but why should doctors be required to carry this out?

I don't know Jon. Who does it in Switzerland?

 

[osymandus]

But aren't they being harmed mentally by being kept as a virtual vegetable against their will?

I was going to say the same here , its something we have to remember , when your in the hands of a medical practionary , your under the care , not their authourity .

In all cases where a person is able to make the decisions , they should be allowed to (ending life , continuing etc). The Doctors took thr oath not the paitents.

 

[Berrichonne shrimper]

I am all for helping someone to end it if they are at the end anyway,you would put your dog/cat down if it was in pain and couldnt go on so why not a loved one.
My pa passed away last month and for the last two weeks was in great pain and distress,i offered to help him move on but thankfully wasnt needed.My dad had cancer and was going to die so why should his family let him suffer,assisited sucicide would have been a better ending for him,but at home not switzerland.
As for the 23yr old massive grey area for me,if it was one of my kids then i dont think i could have helped him but then is that selfish,maybe.

 

[Pubey]

I don't know Jon. Who does it in Switzerland?

in Switzerland it is assisted-suicide, where a doctor (privately funded) provides the drugs required, and then the patient takes them. This is the difference between assisted-suicide, where the patient still takes their life, and euthanasia (where the doctor actually administers the drug).

So although the details aren't known about how the rugby player actually committed suicide, from what I can see he must have had the function to take the medication himself... as euthanasia is still illegal in Switzerland

 

[OldBlueLady]

There was that case about Diane Pretty a few years ago as well, wasn't there

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Pretty

Motor neurone disease sufferer, and staunch champion of her right to choose to die. I have to be honest and say that although it must be a very difficult decision to take if you are emotionally involved, is it harder to see your loved one suffer or to have your life continue without them? I would hope that I would be strong enough to support anyone in my circle who came to this decision, but making that decision if they are unable to? That takes some real guts.