Assisted dying

[hughnique]

Looks as though it is set to be approved by the Lords, if they can keep awake. During the ramblings of Dianne Abbot on the subject, where even her tablet got bored and switched off, some M.P. stood up and quoted that we had had this facility for years, it's called suicide. What struck me about that comment was, my understanding of suicide is that if it occurs, then any life insurance policies become null and void, is this going to be another loophole for the insurance companies not to pay out?

[Pathca]

The whole assisted dying thing is a can of worms.In theory it’s good ,in practice.... Where will it end ? Young people with depression? Older people being coerced?
I have seen the insurance issue raised elsewhere as well

[exile]

But surely coerced older people and even more so young people with depression plus those with severe handicap are going to fail the first and fundamental test - viz. with a life expectancy of less than 6 months.

[hughnique]

Might be a panel of Harold Shipmans

[MAD87]

But surely coerced older people and even more so young people with depression plus those with severe handicap are going to fail the first and fundamental test - viz. with a life expectancy of less than 6 months.

Interesting categories. I have a cousin with Down's Syndrome. He's now 61, having been given a life expectancy of late teens, 21 max. His parents gave him a wonderful life and he's still as happy as Larry in the care of his sister and bro in law, even though rather frail now.

I have to say I waver, not in respect of young people or those with life expectancy issues, but I can imagine myself asking to be released from a painful illness pdq, and it already happens (as no doubt Pathca will confirm). Still, there are too many possibilities for abuse for me to feel comfortable about a measure which could become one of expediency.

[exile]

I raised those categories because the first 2 were in a previous post and the third is oft cited by Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson as a group at risk.

Regarding the good fortune of your cousin, yes he beat the statistics by a long long way but I would hazard that at no stage was he given just 6 months to live. There is a major difference.

I would also hazard a guess that the parents were told that as a Down's syndrome child he was unlikely to survive beyond late teens or 21 max. That may sound like he is going to die in that time frame but in fact that is not exactly what was said. It is easy to put a subconscious spin on it though.

[Pathca]

I raised those categories as they are among the ones being mentioned as cause for concern amongst people commenting on the issues
It isn’t always easy to give a six month life expectancy

[MAD87]

@Pathca Quite. I can think of 2 cancer victims, BIL and a close friend in UK, who were given 1 year and 2 months' survival rates respectively. BIL (in France) survived 7 years, friend survived 12 years, different cancers.

I see the UK govt is pushing/planning - I only saw the headline - DNA samples from every baby born there, supposedly for medical purposes only. Great idea in principle to warn of potential health issues, but the probable freedom issues will be numerous.

[Pathca]

I have a friend who presented with a spontaneous broken hip ,when examined she had metastatic breast cancer That was 22 years ago
Also I have seen concerns expressed that the original bill maybe something of a Trojan horse. Allowing the basic legislation in but vulnerable to alteration and tweaks as time goes on

[widge]

Might be a panel of Harold Shipmans

Bloody harold shipman, just flying back from the uk, after visiting my brother for the last time, sadly he died last thursday, but I did have some time with him on wednesday, my niece got told yesterday that she coud arrange to pick up the death certificates today, but she was originally told it could take upto 10 days.