Right To Die: Parliament To Act?

[ChillDoubt]

In another morally abhorrent ruling a person in abject misery is denied what ought to be a human right: the right to choose a dignified death in order to end suffering.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-28016033

One would guess that the judges were sympathetic however their hands are tied and they have urged Parliament to act.
I sincerely hope they do and eventually arrive at the only sensible, right and decent conclusion.
But will they?

[pixie373]

We can't judge it any better than we already do. Nobody is going to be able to march Granny to the doctor and have her put down. The problem at the moment is that it's kept quiet. Surely it's better for everyone that there are some safeguards and guidelines?

[douglas9401]

"Modern pain control ought to mean that no one need suffer pain in whatever state they are in."

And yet so many do.

[sandyRoe]

I'm sure I read recently that a few terminally ill patients are suffering as some doctors are reluctant to give enough painkillers because they fear they might be considered to be dispatching their patients and end up in court.

[ChillDoubt]

So how do we judge the "sound mind" criteria? Please I'm only debating the issue, you seem to be taking it personally that I have not dived straight in and agreed with you.
------------------
Not at all, it's just that you're using a completely different set of criteria for the (highly unlikely) scenario's you've described.
After all, in countries that allow assisted suicide in such circumstances, they don't yet appear to have reached the epidemic proportions you've forecast, whereby those of a certain age are euthenased for no other reason than old age.

[Svejk]

no-one who thinks about it could believe this is a straight-forward issue. Nobody wants to prolong unnecessary suffering but there are some dreadful people about who become even worse where money's concerned. And there's very nice people who don't want to become a burden or a financial drain to their loved ones. Not saying it shouldn't ever happen, just a great deal of care needs to be taken.