This may be a disturbing topic to some and in some circumstances this may upset some people and I am sorry for that this is not offensive.

What are your views on euthanasia, for those who do not know, it is aiding the death of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma.

There are many types of euthanasia, and I am interested in what people think about it. One question always comes to mind with this topic and that is. 'Would you be able to euthanise a relative or just any person? this can be turning of life support or giving morphine tablets?'

This is a strong topic area for me and i am interested to see other peoples views.

Alex

morphine tablets as an aid to dying? not sure i understand that..

personally i feel, if someone is suffering to an overly considerable amount, eg highly aggressive cancer, with no treatment, and no cure, who does not wish to suffer
if there is no way to save them, and they can still say for themselves in a truthful and honest way they feel, and they are ready and openly accept their own mortality and do not wish to suffer in pain
i would like to say a personal case of this would have been my nan. she died 8 yrs ago of mesenteric cancer, non treatable, just a few months left to live. she could not ask of us to help her die. but she could not take her own life

i feel taking ones own life thru depression is upsetting, especially as there is so much tht could be done to save them

the reason i cannot stand the euthanasia law in england, is that IF a person had the courage to do right for the person they love who asked them to help, rather than choose for them (which i will say in a moment) and helped them to die, PEACEFULLY in a HUMANE DIGNIFIED manner, i feel that should not be punished. but ofc, as soon as they come back to england, u can be arrested and put in prison for it.

choosing eg life support, is so much to put on just one person. and i again feel, if there is truly no hope, eg brain dead vegetable, is it really fair on the person in the hospital bed and the family to prolong the suffering. now i understand theres medical advances and some things can be restored, eg consciousness... but putting it onto one person is so heavy. and if anything it would be a joint family decision.
now legally(english) icu life support machines only keep any effects of injuries etc, it is never ruled as cause of death. (substantiating and operative cause of death) which i find good - eg person battered outside pub, brain damaged, goes into coma, never wakes up, no chance, family send him off peacefully - assailant charged with manslaughter etc, RATHER than the family.

if there was ever no hope for me and i was in a situation of never recovering, i would hope my family would send me off with dignity, now there is a part in a will, that if someone ever reached a certain state that they would pre order in a sense, assisted suicide

i think it should always be a last resort, and never a first, and all other avenues taken to restore, quality of life, health, ability etc stable FIRST as it is such a finite decision. just my thoughts.

I see your very philosophical someone i can agree to!

With the morphine tablets it's a way of voluntary active euthanasia. For example if a patient were to ask for their carer to give them extra doses of morphine which their body could not cope with and would kill them. That is what I mean.

I am in complete agreement with you, it is an outrage that the government pretty much determine whether a patient is to die with dignity or to suffer. I'm sorry to hear about your nan, and I have been in the same position where I have seen my grandparent in hospital suffering painfully, yet there is no aid that can be given..

One thing i'd like to add is a thing known as 'double-effect' this is a situation in which a doctor is to give a patient extra doses or morphine which will not kill them instantly however, it will increase the volume so that the body can't cope and will shut down. Do you believe this is right? or does it go against the hippocratic oath of a doctor??

I'd also like to hear your opinion on a living will - in a case i saw a woman had a legalised document saying that if she went into a cardiac arrest, she could not be resuscitated. Do you agree this is allowed or not??

ah so u mean OD
i do not find it very dignified, and theres so much more that can go wrong, and more problems it can cause, for the person and those around them. if someone were to administer the od, i would think it irresponsible as it can have more complications and not always the desired effect. if it were to happen, it should be controlled, dignified and without problems/complications.

the double effect situation is against all practices by doctors and oaths etc, and the general standard of care and practice. i have never heard of any case myself in which this has been present though.

i think the living will thing, as if someone has a belief, it should always be taken into account. eg if that person with the legalised will believed that when her time would come, (however it may) , eg that cardiac arrest that it should be respected. in every other case no matter the situation; religion, and general beliefs are taken into account. it is that person's life and they should have ultimate say over their life and how it ends should the worst happen to them.

tho i will always stand by my beliefs on suicide (rather than as a last resort euthanasia etc) is wrong and it can always go rong.
i will highlight with - my nan who is currently alive, fell into deep depression and drove herself mad. it is NOT something that a 7-9 yr old should go thru and see their own nan self destruct and phone an ambulance with her parents for the woman who has OD'd on sleeping pills and alcohol.
thankfully she is more stable atm
which is why i highlighted euthanasia imo to be used as a last resort to end a persons suffering with dignity in the way they wish todie.

I support euthanasia and I have already committed a promise to one of my friends, should he ever be in a situation of such need. Generally, I think people should be free to do anything they want to do, as long as it doesn't hurt other people. Who am I to dictate another man's life, as long he isn't hurting me or anyone else? I understand that family and friends will be hurt when their loved ones die, but rest assured, someone who contemplates parting with this world knows too and has most likely given much thought to it. Ultimately, it is his life and he should be entitled to make the decision about it, hopefully in understanding with his loved ones.

http://zocalopublicsquare.org/thepublicsquare/2011/11/30/how-doctors-die/read/nexus/

My Grandpa has done it.

For me it was like he was dieing without pain. And he could say goodbye. As I expercienced it myself, I say it is their own choise and every other argument is invalid.
But that's my opinion.