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Sunday 8 January 2012

Assisting in suicide



A report announced earlier this week has proposed changes towards lifting the ban on assisted suicide in specific case.

Created by a commission chaired by Lord Falconer of Thornton, former labour lord chancellor, the report comes in response to a number of issues previously reported. Former Met. Police Commissioner, Lord Blair of Boughton has described the existing laws as 'incoherent and unsafe'. In response Lord Falconer claimed this is an 'issue that has been moving centre stage for a period of time and the commission has been set up to ensure there is an independent and comprehensive look at the law'.

The report suggests that whilst stringent safeguards will be put in place to protect those without the mental capacity to make decisions about ending their life. There does need to be the option for the terminally ill who have less than a year to live to ask a doctor for a dose of medication that would end their life. They would have to take this themselves as an indication that this is the individual's choice and a voluntary action. The suggestions in the report were followed by support from many including the West Midlands NHS strategic Health Authority who has openly stated its not opposed to change and believes the current law in this area isn't fit for the 21st century.

As expected with any proposed reform there has been lengthy and numbered criticism. Care Against Killing the charity who campaign against euthanasia and assisted suicide has estimated that lifting the ban could result in 13000 deaths a year whilst putting the lives of the vulnerable and disabled at risk. It was also suggested by the British Medical Association that the majority of doctors don't want to legalise assisted suicide. David Cameron's opposition was made clear as early as 2006 when a letter to pro-life campaigners stated that he didn't believe in allowing doctors to accelerate death.

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