Euthanasia advocate urges courage over legislation

Dades

Article in today's IT.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0217/1224290026783.html

I also heard this guy talking on the Newstalk this morning (he's giving a workshop today in Dublin).
There was also a debate last night in UCD.

While in principle I'm an agreement that legislation needs to allow for this in certain circumstances, one of the people on the show this morning raised the point that it might lead to some terminally ill people feeling pressure to end their lives. An interesting point, and worth mentioning I thought.

Thrown a poll in for good measure!

magicbastarder

the metro covered this last week - the headline on the front page was 'Death Laptop arrives in Ireland'.
i reckon death is more of an iphone user, myself.

Dades

Yes, it should be available to everyone.

magicbastarder wrote: »

the metro covered this last week - the headline on the front page was 'Death Laptop arrives in Ireland'.

I think the system is hooked up to a laptop, and the 'suicidee' has to ultimately press "Enter" after a prompt that says you will die if you do. :pac:

Turtwig

Yes, it should be available to everyone.

I voted yes with the stipulation that there would be a very strong code of medical ethnics ensuring people are not euthanised senselessly. I think this is pretty much going to be a given anyway, but just reinforcing it before some pro lifer sees me as something akin to a cold hearted murderer.

Count Duckula

Yes, both voluntary and involuntary.

magicbastarder wrote: »

the metro covered this last week - the headline on the front page was 'Death Laptop arrives in Ireland'.
i reckon death is more of an iphone user, myself.

He's an Apple fan, that's for sure.

Otacon

Yes, it should be available to everyone.

Dades wrote: »

I think the system is hooked up to a laptop, and the 'suicidee' has to ultimately press "Enter" after a prompt that says you will die if you do. :pac:

Reminds me of the 'ban' thread amp used to run in The Cuckoo's Nest. I wonder how many people will press Enter just to see if they die!?

Anyway, while I agree euthanasia needs to be legalised, very strict rules need to be put in place to avoid abuse of the system.

Waking-Dreams

Yes, it should be available to everyone.

Dades wrote: »

While in principle I'm an agreement that legislation needs to allow for this in certain circumstances, one of the people on the show this morning raised the point that it might lead to some terminally ill people feeling pressure to end their lives. An interesting point, and worth mentioning I thought.

It's interesting alright. I would imagine they might feel “pressure” which could stem from not wanting to have to go through the process of a slow (albeit medicated) death. Even though morphine can alleviate pain, some might want to shuffle off this mortal coil while they still have their current health and mental faculties fully intact. I don’t know.

If someone is suggesting they would feel some kind of “pressure” as in, “c’mon, you’re dead anyway, so stop wasting what little time you have and get off this planet already – you’re taking up valuable hospital resources” I can’t think of that being anything other than a caricature scenario.

Many who contemplate volunatry death/suicide often think to themselves that by taking their own lives it would be better for everyone else, so this is not something that euthanasia will bring about. It's already out there. At least by reviewing cases, people could be psychologically assessed or whatever else has to be taken into account.

Count Duckula

Yes, both voluntary and involuntary.

The pressure would come about, I suspect, when a person knows they'll slowly deteriorate and require more and more looking after, and don't want to put their family through that. So whilst they might not want to die per se, they don't want to burden their family and so will feel internal pressure to do this.

aidan24326

Yes, both voluntary and involuntary.

I was a little stuck between poll options 2 and 3 tbh. Went for the third option because:

While I agree that there would have to be a strict code of medical ethics and all of that, I wouldn't want it tied up in too much red tape either, where going down that road (of euthanasia) might be so much hassle and involve so much meddling that it would hardly be worth it. So leave it to the medics to decide if someone is of sound mind to make that decision, and keep the social workers and the lawyers out of it.

And please please the minute a bishop opens his mouth about this tell him to close it. Stick to saying mass your grace.

robindch

Yes, it should be available to everyone.

WRT legalization, Oregon is one of the few US states that allows assisted suicide. From the law's wiki page:

wikipedia wrote:

Under the law, a capable adult Oregon resident who has been diagnosed, by a physician, with a terminal illness that will kill the patient within six months may request in writing, from his or her physician, a prescription for a lethal dose of medication for the purpose of ending the patient's life. Exercise of the option under this law is voluntary and the patient must initiate the request. Any physician, pharmacist or healthcare provider who has moral objections may refuse to participate.

The request must be confirmed by two witnesses, at least one of whom is not related to the patient, is not entitled to any portion of the patient's estate, is not the patient's physician, and is not employed by a health care facility caring for the patient. After the request is made, another physician must examine the patient's medical records and confirm the diagnosis. The patient must be determined to be free of a mental condition impairing judgment. If the request is authorized, the patient must wait at least fifteen days and make a second oral request before the prescription may be written. The patient has a right to rescind the request at any time. Should either physician have concerns about the patient's ability to make an informed decision, or feel the patient's request may be motivated by depression or coercion, the patient must be referred for a psychological evaluation.

The law protects doctors from liability for providing a lethal prescription for a terminally ill, competent adult in compliance with the statute's restrictions. Participation by physicians, pharmacists, and health care providers is voluntary. The law also specifies a patient's decision to end his or her life shall not "have an effect upon a life, health, or accident insurance or annuity policy."

Beruthiel

Yes, it should be available to everyone.

aidan24326 wrote: »

I was a little stuck between poll options 2 and 3 tbh.

Me too.
I'd like it freely available to anyone who wants it, but I'd rather not have it so available that Nurse Ratched types start killing off people in old folks homes.

Dades

Yes, it should be available to everyone.

Beruthiel wrote: »

I'd rather not have it so available that Nurse Ratched types start killing off people in old folks homes.

I watched One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest again recently and came away with the impression that Nurse Ratched's bad rep is not wholly deserved...

Meanwhile back on topic...

magicbastarder

http://www.broadsheet.ie/2011/02/17/meet-deathly-dr-death-and-his-morbid-manbag-of-doom/

PeterIanStaker

Yes, both voluntary and involuntary.

Beruthiel wrote: »

Me too.
I'd like it freely available to anyone who wants it, but I'd rather not have it so available that Nurse Ratched types start killing off people in old folks homes.

I also was torn between 2 and 3, but having said that, the availability or lack thereof of euthanasia will not fully stop Dr Shipman types from preying on the vulnerable.

strobe

Yes, it should be available to everyone.

robindch wrote: »

WRT legalization, Oregon is one of the few US states that allows assisted suicide. From the law's wiki page:

Sounds 'perfect' to me.

ChocolateSauce

Probably should have checked first, by involuntary I assume you mean, for example, a family turning off the life-support of a brain-dead person....ie. the person cannot consent, not they are having their wishes ignored.

Rev Hellfire

Yes, it should be available to everyone.

ChocolateSauce wrote: »

Probably should have checked first, by involuntary I assume you mean, for example, a family turning off the life-support of a brain-dead person....ie. the person cannot consent, not they are having their wishes ignored.

I wouldn't count that as euthanasia tbh.

Dades

Yes, it should be available to everyone.

ChocolateSauce wrote: »

Probably should have checked first, by involuntary I assume you mean, for example, a family turning off the life-support of a brain-dead person....ie. the person cannot consent, not they are having their wishes ignored.

Actually, I just threw that in on the off-chance we had any Logan's Run fans. :pac:

I guess that's you, ChocolateSauce!

Bollox. Accidentally voted for option #4 instead of #3.

Oh well. Involuntary euthanasia for all!