Assisted dying

Just a smidge off topic, but just heard a snip on BBC radio news about some state in USA wanting to carry out an untried method of execution, worrying that it may prolong the dying process.

Yet from what little i've heard from the Dignitas type places, they just drink something and they're gone peacefully and fairly quickly.

If one country manage the process well, why can't other countries follow their methods.

Mrs R has just informed me that the place in USA had already had a failed lethal injection incident.
 


ivanthereasonable said:
Just a smidge off topic, but just heard a snip on BBC radio news about some state in USA wanting to carry out an untried method of execution, worrying that it may prolong the dying process.

Yet from what little i've heard from the Dignitas type places, they just drink something and they're gone peacefully and fairly quickly.

If one country manage the process well, why can't other countries follow their methods.

Mrs R has just informed me that the place in USA had already had a failed lethal injection incident.
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The state was using nitrogen iirc. The drug bit is by far the best way of ending life but the drug companies have issues with supply as the share price gets hit.
Turner the Cat said:
I remember reading in a psychology book that consciously suffering for a protracted period at the end of ones life not only impacts on current quality of life but also has a significant negative impact on how one views the quality of their overall lifetime. With that in mind, the option to end ones life early not only has the potential to avoid future suffering but improve a persons perception of their historic life quality.
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Nobody has the right other than the person in question to make that call.
S.S.R.. said:
It's the kind of mercy you'd give a dying animal, yet we struggle to let humans die with dignity and without suffering.
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We also kill pets because their treatment is going to cost too much.
 
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Charlestonian said:
I’ve never been through this with any elderly family but I think for me, if a doctor told me I had Alzheimer’s/Parkinson’s/Dementia or something along those lines, I’d like to be able to choose when I died before I became a burden on those closest to me.
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If I was given the choice now I'd sign to say as soon as I can't look after myself independently I'd like to go. Would hate to be a burden to my kids having to look after me or ending up in a nursing home wasting away at a huge expense. As harsh as it sounds it could massively ease the problem of how we fund care.

Even people with chronic depression with multiple suicide attempts etc could benefit from it but I doubt that would ever be on the table.
 
Ciro_DiMarzio said:
If I was given the choice now I'd sign to say as soon as I can't look after myself independently I'd like to go. Would hate to be a burden to my kids having to look after me or ending up in a nursing home wasting away at a huge expense. As harsh as it sounds it could massively ease the problem of how we fund care.

Even people with chronic depression with multiple suicide attempts etc could benefit from it but I doubt that would ever be on the table.
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I am absolutely sure a lass in one of the Scandi countries was allowed to go to dignitas coss she suffered from chronic severe depression. Couple of years ago now and it went through a protracted legal battle but I'm sure. Away to look it up.
 
CPLforever said:
I am absolutely sure a lass in one of the Scandi countries was allowed to go to dignitas coss she suffered from chronic severe depression. Couple of years ago now and it went through a protracted legal battle but I'm sure. Away to look it up.
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I'm think I read about that. Can't see it being allowed in this country though unfortunately.
 
CPLforever said:
I am absolutely sure a lass in one of the Scandi countries was allowed to go to dignitas coss she suffered from chronic severe depression. Couple of years ago now and it went through a protracted legal battle but I'm sure. Away to look it up.
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Saw a case in Belgium where this happened. She even visited the crematorium to see what her funeral service would be like. Unless its changed Belgium and Holland were the only places where assisted dying was allowed for those suffering persistant mental suffering.
 
We need a discussion about this in Parliament but the legislation has to be watertight.
My thoughts would generally be
Decision must be made by capacitated individual.
No best interest decisions, no decisions made by people holding Power of Attorney. Not for non organic mental health disorders. The movement to include these in Canada scares me and as I someone who regularly assesses capacity and provides treatment of mental health I would not be signing off anyone for this.

Then there’s more intricate details like what if someone suffers an organic mental health problem but it’s self inflicted, intentionally or not, like a brain injury from drugs or hanging or something like korskoffs? It opens up really, really difficult legal and ethical arguments but again, it’s not something I’d be willing to sign off.
 
rudd said:
We need a discussion about this in Parliament but the legislation has to be watertight.
My thoughts would generally be
Decision must be made by capacitated individual.
No best interest decisions, no decisions made by people holding Power of Attorney. Not for non organic mental health disorders. The movement to include these in Canada scares me and as I someone who regularly assesses capacity and provides treatment of mental health I would not be signing off anyone for this.

Then there’s more intricate details like what if someone suffers an organic mental health problem but it’s self inflicted, intentionally or not, like a brain injury from drugs or hanging or something like korskoffs? It opens up really, really difficult legal and ethical arguments but again, it’s not something I’d be willing to sign off.
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This is one of the stumbling blocks with assisted death . Who signs the prescription? A Dr swears the oath and helping someone to die goes against that oath apparently.
 
It's a difficult topic.

In an ideal world, if you know something is around the corner you could chose to die peacefully with assistance on your terms. Huntingtons is part of my family and certain members have took their life in awful messy way (and traumatic for the people that find them) and this could be a dignified way out.

However, people can be awful and greedy, the fail minded coerced easily. Especially if they are sitting on a pretty penny .There needs to be robust safety check in place. To spot people being convinced by people with something to gain that this is the right way to go.

As others have said, sensible debate is needed on the matter.
 
I can’t understand why government won’t allow it. It would solve the care crisis!

I by no means put that disrespectfully. It needs the right agreements and regulation in place to make sure it’s not just a vehicle to bump someone off.
 

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