WHY !!!!!!

[micmak]

When our pets are in pain and we know they will not get better we humanely put them to sleep. Yet when it comes to people they have to suffer to die. Surely you suffer to get better, not to die. Yet should anyone help them on their way they are the guilty ones. It makes no sense to me.

[ummmm]

Because you could end up with not very nice family members persuading a sick person to end their life....

[rowanwitch]

or someone with depression which is a treatable condition making the choice at a time when they are not able to make the decision rationally all though they may seem perfectly clear thinking. Had it been readily available in the uk I have no doubt I would have chosen this option during one of my blackest spells... and seemed quite rational if questioned about my choice.

[micmak]

I understand what you're saying ummmm, but i was thinking more on the lines of hospitas, doctors etc.

[Ankou]

vets are qualified and legally authorised to administer the treatment.

doctors and relatives are not.

[ummmm]

The doctors do kinda make a decision. Last time my grandad was in hospital we were told if he doesn't improve over night they were going to start to withdraw treatment.

[Ankou]

technically that is quite different.

[ummmm]

Yes, I know. But that's as much power as they have.

If, like they thought at that point, there really wasn't any hope left, they could have given him an injection and put him out of his suffering.

As it happens....he's alive and well.

[Ankou]

i generally thought euphensia was the decision of the patient (yes yes yes, ruthless doctors and relatives aside etc). withdrawing treatment is when a consultation of doctors/senior doctors confirms that the treatment is a hinderence to the patient - i.e. it is generally keeping them in a vegative state that aint really 'living'. even then, this analysis allows doctors in association with the relatives and family to make the right decision about whether treatment should be withdrawn.

[RATTER15]

micmak has not suggested persuading anybody to end their life and I agree with what he says.

Where I work we are often told by GPs that all treatment is being withdrawn (not pain releif)

It is a basic human right to make choices even if those choicec are unwise or bad choices.

We are permitted to make choices that could end our life all the time, sky diving, driving at breakneck speeds, deep sea diving are just a few, I thing we should also have the right to end our life when we think fit, it is OUR life!!

I agree that someone may get over their depression but many dont, should we deny them the right of making that choice, just in case they may get over it.

I think it that this is our life, we should have the choice to end it if we feel we would want to do that, we will never regret it!

[hc4361]

The patient may not be in a position to make a decision about euthanasia.
Such as following a serious accident.

[micmak]

Thankyou Ratter, at last someone who understands....

[murraymints]

Emmerdale...case in point...outcome of trial tonight...

[ummmm]

I think we all understood. It's just that there are so many grey areas.

[RATTER15]

hc4361, I agree, that is a diifferent situation, we are talking about someone that will never recover and is dying or people that make their own decision.

[Ankou]

the british medical association has told doctors they can withdraw treatment from terminally-ill patients to help them "die with dignity".

giving treatment to hasten death is still illegal.

[jackthehat]

The grey areas could be sufficiently lessened by the formulation of legislation to deal with the 'straightforward' cases.....

[ummmm]

True...

[micmak]

The case in Emmerdale is totally different. Jackson was neither in pain or about to die. I was talking of people in pain AND soon to die.

[milly143]

Doctors do do it sometimes. Have you never heard of a critically ill patient 'accidentaly' being given too much morphine?