A Duty To Die?

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

I wouldn't have wanted to be the judge in this case

A WOMAN with brain damage must not be allowed to die despite being barely conscious for eight years, the High Court ruled today.

The landmark ruling represents the first time English courts have been asked to decide whether to stop life-supporting treatment of a patient who was not in a vegetative state.

Relatives wanted to end her life because they said she would not want to live "a life dependent on others".

Not sure how I could weigh up

Mr Justice Baker said today: "The factor which does carry substantial weight, in my judgment, is the preservation of life.

and

They love her dearly and want only what is best for her, and it has been desperately difficult for them to make this application to court for treatment to be withdrawn

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...ed-to-die.html

Definitely a toughie ,and just re-inforces the urgent need for further debate in this matter in my opinion

[TheDaddy]

I hope they know what they're doing...

Doctors should be allowed to help terminally ill patients kill themselves – but only if they have less than a year to live, under proposals published in a major report today.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukne...r-to-live.html

[Pierre]

Well it moves the debate on further, which can only be a good thing.

[TheDaddy]

A paralysed man who wants a doctor to be able to lawfully end his life can proceed with his "right-to-die" case, a High Court judge has ruled.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17336774

Who'd be a judge eh, certainly not me in this case, although I'm pretty much against "right to die" as explained in detail earlier in the thread I'm not sure it's fair to put people through this disease either.

[TheDaddy]

Kevin Boyle, one of Jamie Oliver's original apprentices from his Fifteen restaurant, has been found dead in a garden.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddr...ound-dead.html

He had been missing for three months, having disappeared on the same day a suicide kit he bought online was delivered to the house.

Patti, 53, said: “It was such an innocent looking package. Just a brown Jiffy bag that weighed next to nothing.

“I thought it was a packet of icing bags for yet another banquet. I didn’t suspect a thing.�

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...icide-kit.html

This is so tragic, when I read about the old or terminally ill I accept their points and find it hard to argue them, not quite so hard when it's some one young and healthyish.

[slowcoach]

We'll all be suicidal before the next General Election.

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by slowcoach

We'll all be suicidal before the next General Election.

I will be if we get millybore and his merry band of spenders back in.

Let's keep on topic, please....

A man paralysed from the neck down has lost his High Court case to allow doctors to end his life without fear of prosecution.
Tony Nicklinson, 58, from Melksham, Wiltshire, communicates by blinking and has described his life as a "living nightmare" since a stroke in 2005.

It is not for the court to decide whether the law about assisted dying should be changed and, if so, what safeguards should be put in place. "Under our system of government these are matters for Parliament to decide."

is it case for parliament or have the courts bottled it ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19249680

[Osem]

I must say I feel incredibly sorry for people suffering like this who clearly want to end that suffering. It's not as though he and his loved ones can't articulate how he feels is it...

Originally Posted by Osem

I must say I feel incredibly sorry for people suffering like this who clearly want to end that sufferfing. It's not as though he and his loved ones can't articulate how he feels is it...

i know he cried his eyes out when he got the news

[Osem]

Originally Posted by martyh

i know he cried his eyes out when he got the news

I shed a tear or two with him. It's a quite awful situation to be in and the problem needs to be resolved.

Originally Posted by martyh

is it case for parliament or have the courts bottled it ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-19249680

The Courts haven't "bottled" anything - they do not make the Law in this country. Our elected representatives in Parliament do. All the Courts should ever do is make rulings on how the Law as it stands, applies in various situations. If we ever get to a place where the courts, by their decisions, are acting to change the law, then that is the end of democracy in the UK.

The appellants in this case live in what are obviously tragic circumstances, but one or two people do not have the right to overturn the law to suit themselves, no matter how deserving they feel their situation to be.

The only proper route for achieving what they want is the same democratic means that are open to all of us. They can lobby for a change in the law, which would then be brought about by an Act of Parliament.

Originally Posted by Osem

I shed a tear or two with him. It's a quite awful situation to be in and the problem needs to be resolved.

by who though ,courts or parliament ,i think the latter as it's a matter that society has to deal with

Chris while i get what your saying and no the court couldn't change the law they could have said whether they felt a change needs to be considered. I still think it is disgusting in this day and age that we make people live with illness that if it were an animal we would be looked upon badly if we didn't have it put down. As long as it is clear it is the wish of the individual themself and not an agenda by family or friends people should damn well have the right to choose their time to go with dignity.