Assisted Dying - End Of Life Issues

Question 1

Euthanasia - KU

Answer 1

• Euthanasia comes from two Greek words ‘eu’ meaning good or well, and ‘thanatos’ meaning death.
• So, euthanasia can roughly be tra nslated as ‘good death’
• Euthanasia is the act or practise of allowing an individual to die, sometimes at their own request and other times because of the decisions of medical professionals, close family or next of kin, when the individual is unable to make a decision for themselves
• The intention is to give the patient as painless a death as possible when they are suffering unbearably from an incurable disease or illness

Question 2

Assisted Dying - KU

Answer 2

• • Assisted Dying is a form of euthanasia and refers to cases where the person who is going to die and asks for someone to help them
• An example of this may be getting drugs for that person and putting those drugs within their reach so they can administer them
• Helping someone to end their life in this way is illegal in England and Wales under the Suicide Act 1961
• Physician assisted dying is assisted dying that involves a physician (medical doctor); the physician assists the patient by providing a means to die such as providing medication for the patient, who will then use this to end their life

Question 3

What are the Moral Issues raised by Assisted Dying? - Autonomy (ACDC)

Answer 3

• The word autonomy comes from the Greek auto-nomos, which translates as self-rule and means being able to make decisions for yourself
• If humans can control every aspect of their lifes such as how we live or spend our money then does it make sense that we should have the right to decide when and how our lives end?
• Dignity in Dying patron, Sir Patrick Stewart, has argued ‘we have no control over how we arrive in the world but at the end of life we should have control over how we leave it’
• In his view humans should have control over those difficult decisions about how when their life should end
• Others believe that when it comes to matters of life and death, we shouldn’t have the autonomy to interfere with natural processes; and believe that everyone has a divine plan and that only God has that divine power

Question 4

What are the Moral Issues raised by Assisted Dying? - Compassion

Answer 4

• Compassion means showing sympathy and concern for the sufferings of others
• This is one of the oldest and most debated moral issues regarding euthanasia and assisted dying
• For many it seems very simple that as human beings we should try to reduce the suffering of others
• As a humane society, therefore, we should show compassion and provide ways for individuals to end their pain and suffering through ending their lives in ways and means that are appropriate
• Providing good palliative care and improving this provision to control pain for the patient is seen by some as more compassionate than assisted someone to end their life

Question 5

What are the Moral Issues raised by Assisted Dying? - Dignity

Answer 5

• The term dignity means the right that a person has to be valued and respected and this is very complex moral issue with regards to assisted dying
• Having to rely on the help of others for things people may consider straightforward everyday tasks, but for so many this loss of dignity is a key factor in wanting to legalise assisted dying
• If someone is terminally ill, allowing that person to control how and when they die means they treated with greater dignity
• As before those who oppose assisted dying would argue that palliative care, which doesn’t just treat pain at the end of life, but also offers spiritual, social, and psychological support until death happens naturally, values and respects the person in a holist way and is more dignified than assisted dying

Question 6

What are the Moral Issues raised by Assisted Dying? - Control

Answer 6

• Many argue that there are already countries where assisted dying has been legalised and legislation exists which allows assisted dying to take place in an appropriate and just way
• There are however those whop question whether legalisation and laws can control an issues that often isn’t black and white and has many shades of grey

Question 7

Assisted Dying - Religious responses arising Christianity

Answer 7

• As we understand more about the concept of the sanctity of life, we can conclude that the general Christian response is that assisted dying is wrong
• The Catechism of the Catholic Church is quite clear on its teaching regarding euthanasia and suicide
• It highlights that humans are stewards of a life which God has given; it is not theirs to dispose of
• The Church of Scotland argued against the Assisted Suicide Bill in 2015
• of great concern was the impact that legalising assisted dying would have on the way society views its weakest and most vulnerable citizens

Question 8

Assisted Dying - Religious responses arising Islam

Answer 8

• Many muslims are opposed to assisted dying
• Simililar to the views held by the Church of Scotland, the Muslim council of Britain explained that those approaching the end of their life are among the most vulnerable members of society and legalising assisted dying removes safeguards and puts their fundamental rights at risk

Question 9

Non-religious responses to the moral issues raised by assisted dying -The Humanist Society Scotland

Answer 9

• The Humanist Society Scotland believes that personal autonomy is key in end-of-life decisions
• DR Scott explained that tragedy; assisted dying however is different as this is when decisions are made by sane individuals who have calmly decided to end their lives because of incurable illness and unbearable suffering and that can be appropriate

Question 10

Non-religious responses to the moral issues raised by assisted dying - dignity in dying

Answer 10

• Dignity in dying is a national organisation campaigning to legalise assisted dying in the UK
• Similar to Humanist view they believe in the importance of autonomy and that dying people should be in control of how and when they die
  -The organisation is quite clear that assisted dying should only be an option for those who are terminally ill and mentally competent, so therefore not as wide reaching as other organisations who believe it should include those with incurable illnesses

Question 11

Non-religious responses to the moral issues raised by assisted dying - The British Medical Association (BMA)

Answer 11

• this is the independent trade union that represents doctors across the UK, has a policy position of neutrality
• The BMA reached the conclusion that the continuing improvement in palliative care allows patients to die with dignity

Question 12

Non-religious responses to the moral issues raised by assisted dying - Not Dead Yet

Answer 12

• Not Dead Yet is a disablillity rights group with members in the `USA and UK, it opposes making assisted dying legal and believes it is a deadly form of discrimination
• Some of the reasons Not Dead Yet is in opposition to assisted dying include;
• the implications for disabled people if assisted dying is added to the list of medical treatment options
• the unreliability of a doctors prognosis that patients are terminally ill