[~Kizwiz~]

After reading the following article in the news I wondered what peoples thoughts were on euthanasia. Do you think we should have the right to say enough is enough when the time comes?

Legal battle over 'right to die'

A 30-year-old terminally ill woman is to launch a legal battle to force doctors to allow her to die.

Kelly Taylor, from Bristol, who has been given less than a year to live, wants doctors to increase her medication to induce a coma-like state. Mrs Taylor, who has heart and lung and spinal conditions, has also made a "living will" asking doctors not to provide artificial food or hydration. Her doctors have refused her requests, saying it amounts to euthanasia.

Mrs Taylor's lawyers plan to use part of the European Convention on Human Rights which bans "inhuman or degrading treatment" to argue in the High Court that she should not be refused steps which will end her life. A full hearing has been scheduled for the end of March.

But the British Medical Association said that giving morphine with the deliberate intention of ending someone's life was "unlawful and unethical".

Although other terminally ill patients have gone to court to argue their right to die, Mrs Taylor's case is thought to be unique, as her solicitors are combining two arguments to try to force a change in law.They will argue doctors have a duty to provide her with adequate pain control, even if that hastens her death - a decision known as the "double effect".

But they will also ask for her living will to come into force once she is unconscious from the effects of morphine. Her cardiologist, palliative care consultant and GP have refused to increase her medication to a level which would result in her entering deep sedation. She has tried to take a paracetamol overdose on a few occasions and last year she stopped eating but it became too painful to continue.

Mrs Taylor who has Eisenmenger's syndrome and Klippel-Feil syndrome, told the BBC she was in immense pain.

"I don't want to be looked after any more. I want to assert my own independence," she said.

"I don't really understand why I'm here. I go from day to day just making it through the day. I don't want to be here."

Suffering

Deborah Arnotts, chief executive of Dignity in Dying said: "Mrs Taylor is in an intolerable position.

"Her case highlights the impossible dilemma that the current law presents to patients with terminal illness where pain relief and palliative care do not work to relieve their condition."

Mrs Taylor's solicitor Richard Stein of Leigh Day & Co Solicitors, said: "We don't consider that we're asking for anything unlawful and the courts we believe will come to that conclusion too.

"The only way she can be free from pain is if the doses are increased to the level where she loses consciousness."

A spokesperson for United Bristol Healthcare NHS Trust said: "Mrs Taylor's doctors have spent much time with her discussing her requested treatment options.

"The primary responsibility of all doctors is to determine, in consultation with a patient, the treatment that is in that individual's best interest and that is within the boundaries of the law and professional clinical standards."
Swiss clinic

In January last year, retired doctor Dr Anne Turner, from Bath, travelled to the controversial Dignitas clinic in Switzerland to end her life.

The option of travelling to one of the Swiss clinics which offer terminally ill patients the ability to commit assisted suicide had been rejected by Mrs Taylor.

She did consider the option but then became too ill to travel. And believes she should be allowed to die at home.

Euthanasia is a crime in the UK, as is helping someone to kill themselves - known as "assisted suicide". Assisted suicide differs from euthanasia in that a fatal dose of drugs is not administered to the patient by another person, but they are given the means to do it themselves.

A spokesperson for the British Medical Association said: "While we sympathise with Mrs Taylor's situation, we cannot support her request for doctors to sedate her, to a state of unconsciousness, with the specific intention of ending her life.

"In our view, this would involve the doctors in assisting her suicide, which is both unlawful and unethical."

Dr Peter Saunders, campaign director for the Care Not Killing Alliance said: "This is a very sad case but what is really needed is not a change in the law to allow lethal injections but access to the highest quality of palliative care to those who need it."

Source

[GiRTh]

This is a very serios subject. I've just heard of the case in question and it looks like it could be a land mark case.

There are legal, ehitcal and possibly religious issues to address, but I think the fact that she want's to end her own suffering is the deciding factor for me.

My best friends father died of cancer nearly ten years ago. In the space of a year he went from being a fit healthy man to a thin gaunt shadow of his self. He couldn't sleep at night due to the pain. My friend said that he was 'relieved' when he died so that his father wouldn't have to endure any more pain.

It's a tough one to call but I think Kelly Taylor's wishes should be honoured and she should be left to die with some kind of honour.

[~Kizwiz~]

I agree with you Grit, I believe that if there is nothing else that medical science can give you then, if you wished, you should be able to have the right to say enough.

I am a firm believer that you should be able to make a health will which would outline your wishes.

I also agree with you that this may well be a land mark case and will change things for the better.

[rex3]

I agree grit, in a logical sense, that if a human is suffering so much, and cannot stand the pain anymore, then he or she should die if they wished.

As for it being ethically wrong, i dont get that...

[Ruth]

I believe in the person's right to choose, so therefore I am in agreement with euthanasia. However, the concern for me is that it could be exploited and misused.

[the_stillness]

I felt compelled to start a topic on - Euthanasia - but as I spotted that there was already one, I have added my opinion to this -

I remember a friend I once knew when I was about 14 -15 years old, who had a grandad who was in terrible pain - due to an incurable illness which was making his life an absolute misery. He just wanted to die - [end it all] I know from my friend, that his grandad had asked his son to help him end his life and he did do this and broke the law - [UK Law] He actually got away with it, so my friend said and his father was very lucky under the circumstances. At the time, I didn't really know what to think? I mean, I am pro-euthanasia and do believe that if the time came when I was in that man's position and I was in absolute pain and no chance of leading any quality of life, then I would choose to end-it-all and opt for euthanasia, if that option ever became legal.

Any more thoughts?

[Lauren]

I'm a carer for a paralysed mother.
If she ever asked me to do it, I would. I'd take the prison sentence without fighting it, however.

She's in immense pain EVERY single day of her life, even pills don't work.
Her value of life comes before my value of life, in or out of jail.

Though she doesn't want to die, she loves life (a bit TOO much).

[the_stillness]

Originally posted by Lauren
I'm a carer for a paralysed mother.
If she ever asked me to do it, I would. I'd take the prison sentence without fighting it, however.

She's in immense pain EVERY single day of her life, even pills don't work.
Her value of life comes before my value of life, in or out of jail.

Though she doesn't want to die, she loves life (a bit TOO much).

I feel for your set of circumstances Lauren and it is hard for some to understand what is involved in caring for someone who is in that unfortunate position of constantly being in pain, even when pain-killing drugs don't do the job. It is very hard for someone who is in that position of living a life of misery, to ever ask you to take their life away, especially when it is a - matter of fact - that the person taking their life, ie: YOU - would end up serving a prison sentance for the crime. The crime being - MURDER!!!!

There is NO justice in a society who believes in NO-Euthanasia

[Lauren]

the_stillness - I respect rules of society. I know sometimes they have cases that shouldn't be punished (i.e. mine) but I'd happily accept a jail sentence because I know what I'd have done would be murder. It's a shame that people are being jailed when they shouldn't be - but I suppose thats the only way we can catch actual criminals.

If I were to accept that my mother wanted me to do this (and I would, her value of life always comes above mine, always) then I'd accept the sentence. Unfortunately not everyone is as willing as me and I feel sorry for people who go to jail for doing something out of love I hate reading about euthanasia news stories because most people don't accept the jail sentence and need help - I understand their predicament because when you're a carer you value someone elses life above your own.

[the_stillness]

The story I told about my friend and the fact that his father got away with that crime - The crime being, [Euthanasia] is wrong perhaps? However, the father of my friend is NOT a criminal - [morally or ethically] under the circumstances. But the law in the UK is very clear on euthanasia and for the present time, it is illegal and classed as murder. So my friends father is a murderer - [legally]. I understand your position and argument and actually have no answer to it all legally. Morally & Ethically, it is the persons choice to take a life in extreme circumstances. Those extreme circustances being, a pre-meditated murder simply to help someone from endless suffering of pain and anguish

[Lauren]

From your story the_stillness, all I can say is that I'm glad he got away with it cos many don't. I just wish more "got away with it"... but if I ever did it (which I don't, cos my mum is far too optimistic, hahaha - it's where I get it from) - I'd accept the sentence cos I put other people before myself.

[the_stillness]

Well, I hope things don't come to that Lauren. But I shall always agree, that Euthanasia is something that needs to be looked at again. Even though we can have the [Do not Resuscitate order] But that is simply not enough for a person that you can see is in terrible pain and you are the one at the sharp end

I took this from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do_not_resuscitate

A Do Not Resuscitate, or DNR order is a written order from a doctor that resuscitation should not be attempted if a person suffers cardiac or respiratory arrest. Such an order may be instituted on the basis of an advance directive from a person, or from someone entitled to make decisions on their behalf, such as a health care proxy; in some jurisdictions, such orders can also be instituted on the basis of a physician's own initiative, usually when resuscitation would not alter the ultimate outcome of a disease.

Any person who does not wish to undergo lifesaving treatment in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest can get a DNR order, although DNR is more commonly done when a person who has an inevitably fatal illness wishes to have a more natural death without painful or invasive medical procedures.

It is commonly mistaken that a DNR means resuscitation would be successful. In contrast to medical dramas seen on TV, resuscitation in reality has only around a 10-percent success rate.[citation needed] Even those who do survive, a suitably large proportion either die shortly afterward or are left with permanent physical/neurological deficiencies.[citation needed] Therefore, medical students and doctors alike are being encouraged to be realistic with patients and their families when it comes to discussing such a sensitive topic as DNR orders, as it is thought that many wrongly believe resuscitation to be a risk-free guarantee to life.

[Lauren]

I don't know anyone who has issues a DNR, I just really feel sorry for people who do because ultimately they value other people above themselves... and even then it doesn't always "work".

[the_stillness]

It is the only offer on the table. [DNR Yes!] - [EUTHANASIA No!!] At least for now

[Lauren]

So what about people with a long term illness? DNR isn't an viable option then.

[Sunny_01]

This whole deabate is such a sad one, we live in an alleged civilised country YET we are forced to let our loved ones suffer when there is no possible chance of cure/remission/recovery from their illness.

I feel that we are allowed to treat our animals in a kinder way than we are family members, my grandfather suffered terrible pain with Stomach cancer and would very much have liked to end his life when he was told their was no possibility of recovery, however he would not allow any of his family to support him to do this as he would not want them to go through the trauma of police investigations following his death. He would have liked very similar to happen as the lady in the article, especially towards the end when the pain was unbearable before he lost consicousness.

I very much support people's right to end their lives in this kind of situation.

[bananarama]

Originally posted by Ruth
I believe in the person's right to choose, so therefore I am in agreement with euthanasia. However, the concern for me is that it could be exploited and misused.

True...It could be exploited. However in a world where we can put men on the moon I find it difficult to come to terms with the belief that it's not possible to construct rules and regulations to prevent abuse of euthanasia if it were legal.

Either our politicians of all parties are controlled by strong religous beliefs or are to lazy to get down to brass tacks and sort it. Combination of both me think's...