Metropol

The right to die with dignity should be a fundamental human right, there is no question there. However, recent TV documentary evidence shows that in some hospitals the care for the dying is woefully below standard. The culture of lack of respect and care for the elderly, in particular, has been exacerbated by transferring much geriatric care to the private sector (and so losing much needed expertise in the care and treatment of the elderly) and the widespread denial of food and hydration, which is now termed as 'treatment'.

What drives so many gravely, or terminally ill people and their families to want to end their lives must surely be this standard of care they are receiving. Will standards need to improve if ‘gentle’ pressure can be exerted on those in an already psychological distressed state to opt for euthanasia? Even if the intention is to "help" in some way there will always be scope for abuse, if not from indifferent families, then from the state. I am deeply worried that euthanasia could become an excuse not to provide decent palliative care and thus, remove choices, not improve them.

Ideally, we should be able to choose the manner of our death, just as we choose the manner of our lifestyles (as long as these don’t significantly impose on other people, naturally), but realistically, any ‘right-to-die’ legislation would have different motives to fulfil than simple idealisms.

Against. Full stop.

GNiel wrote:Against. Full stop.

Since you're clearly so sure of your position, would you care to elaborate why, and maybe challenge some of the pro-euthanasia arguments made in this thread?

For a start, and from a totally ethical point of view, most of the right to die arguments here consist of the presumption that we own our own lives. Personally I don't believe that we do, but of course this would be a matter of opinion.

From a practical viewpoint, I think it would be imperative that if there was a right to die law, that individuals would need to make the decision only if they wanted to die, I am sure some people would be pressured in to this by others, or taking this decision to avoid becoming a burden to others.

There is then the issue of when euthanasia would be permitted. I think it would perhaps be acceptable to let somebody who had 24 hours to live a helping hand so that they could die with their family with them etc, but would a terminally ill person with possibly 12 months to live be allowed to die? Of course, there is always the possibility of a recovery (as we saw with the man who is suing his hospital because he is still alive!). When we start to allow euthanasia for those who have hours to live, we will begin a slippery slope, and might eventually have to allow it as an alternative to suicide for the depressed etc, or even for somebody whose parents were diagnosed with cancer at a certain age, or so on.

I am however, in full support of allowing anybody to refuse medical treatment.