Assisted suicide

[PompeyLass]

Just been reading through some of the news stories on Sky & this one caught my eye. Some of the comments afterwards are actually quite interesting. Someone points out that you wouldn't let an animal suffer pain so why a human being.

 

Documentary makers were allowed to film the final moments of 59-year-old motor neurone disease sufferer Craig Ewert at controversial Swiss clinic Dignitas.

The Sky Real Lives programme Right to Die?, shows Mr Ewert drinking a fatal dose of barbiturates, which have been prescribed by a local doctor.

Within 30 minutes of the overdose he is dead.

 

Before making the journey, he said: "If I go through with it I die, as I must at some point.

"If I don't go through with it, my choice is essentially to suffer and to inflict suffering on my family and then die.

"Possibly in a way that is considerably more stressful and painful than this way."

Mr Ewert, who lived in Harrogate, feared the disease would end up choking him to death.

 

Daniel James

 

 

His widow, Mary, has defended the decision to allow the cameras inside the clinic, which helps people to commit suicide.

Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland with certain conditions. But it is illegal in Britain.

The programme will be broadcast on the same day that an inquest opens into the death of another British man who died at Dignitas.

Paralysed rugby player Daniel James, 23, was injured when a scrum collapsed on him. The promising hooker lost the use of all of his limbs.

 

According to his parents, Mr James found his life unbearable. They helped him travel to Zurich in September this year.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has decided not to pursue a case against the couple.

Dignitas was set up by Ludwig Minelli, a lawyer who rarely gives interviews. He said a dignified death is a human right.

The clinic has helped more than 100 people from Britain to end their lives.

But, to some religious and ethical groups, assisted suicide is wrong.

 

Dr Rob George, from Care Not Killing, said Mr Ewert's death was barbaric and that "a natural death is nothing to fear".

"The vast majority of patients with motor neurone disease do not have a choking, unpleasant, suffocating death. That's just not true. So I feel sad and quite angry about that. This man need not have gone through this."

:: Right to Die? is to be shown at 9pm tonight on Sky Real Lives

 

[Master Bates]

Programme on tv where you can watch someone commit suicide.

 

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2019734.ece

[scott_saints]

I also have no problems with assisted suicide for people who are suffereing greatly. As pointed out, we wont let a animal suffer so why do we let humans suffer. Imo, we are entitled to a dignified death so if someone wants to die to stop unbearable suffering then they should have the right to do so.

 

The main thing that seems to disagree with euthanasia is religion. But seeing as religion is based on unrealistic supreme beings (imo) then I'm not too fussed about this side of the argument.

Edited 10 December, 2008 by scott_saints

[Poshie72]

I have no problems with assisted suicide for the same reasons as above.

 

This documentary, which is being shown tonight, is really close to my heart, as my Nan died, aged 64, form Motor Neurone Disease back in 1984, when I was 12. My only real memories of her were of her suffering, not being able to eat, drink, or talk, hooked up to a machine for almost 24/7 yet being totally aware of everything. Seeing her cry because she could not be a normal grandmother to her 4 grandchildren will live with me for the rest of my days.

 

Although very sad when she did finally die, knowing that her suffering had ended made me feel better.

[Jillyanne]

Having just watched him go to 'sleep' so peacefully (albeit he seemed to dislike the taste of the drink) I would opt for this without question, I fail to understand why Euthanasia (sp) is illegal for those who are suffering. I would have loved to have had my Grandad 'put down' when he was at his worse with cancer rather than watch him become skin and bone and struggle to sort his own breakfast out in the mornings (they encouraged him to do that - why?) - only then to be told by the nurses at Countess Mountbatten that he was putting too much butter on his toast i- like it mattered FFS!

[Special K]

Modern medicine is so pre-occupied with keeping us alive, it ignores the wishes of the individual, using quasi religious arguments to back up what they say. Like some of the above posters have experienced, i watched an elderly relative die due to cancer. He was a smashing old boy and was quite happy to go out without any fuss, but the treatment was almost insisted upon and kept him alive longer than he may well have wanted. He certainly seemed to suffer more in the last months and for him it appeared to prolong the agony of life when he had come to terms with his imminent death. I think he felt a bit cheated in a way because he was not in control of the last thing he could possibly control.