Den engelske MS-rammede kvinnen Debbie Purdy har i britisk høyesterett fått medhold i at britiske myndigheter må klargjøre i hvilken grad medvirkning til assistert selvmord er straffbart, og da spesielt om det er straffbart å følge noen til utlandet (Sveits) for å få utført assistert selvmord der.
"Debbie Purdy wanted to know if her husband would be prosecuted if he helped her end her life in Switzerland. Five Law Lords ruled the Director of Public Prosecutions must specify when a person might face prosecution. "
Ingen briter som har fulgt familiemedlemmer til Dignitas klinikken er blitt straffeforfulgt, men spørsmålet om den/de som følger gjør noe ulovlig kommer stadig opp ved at politiet etterforsker og deretter henlegger saken av "menneskelige hensyn". I teorien risikerer familiemedlemmene opp til 14 år i fengsel.
Debby Purdy ønsker en avklaring på forhånd. Med mindre det kommer en lovpresisering som uttaler at det ikke er straffbart å følge en håpløst syk til utlandet for å dø dersom det gjøres av medlidenhet, vil hun insistere på å reise alene mens hun ennå er frisk nok til det. Dvs. før hun føler sykdommen i seg selv er blitt uutholdelig.
Det er også interessant hvordan Høyesterett trekker inn Den Europeeiske menneskerettighetskonvensjon og hvordan de til slutt oppsummerer saken:
"The Law Lords also said she had the right to choose how she died, under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
In a summary of their decision, the Law Lords said: "Everyone has the right to respect for their private life and the way that Ms Purdy determines to spend the closing moments of her life is part of the act of living. "Ms Purdy wishes to avoid an undignified and distressing end to her life. She is entitled to ask that this too must be respected."
Se artikkel og video med en overlykkelig Debbie Purdy her. Den etablerte lovpraksis og folkemeninga i Storbrittania er slik at det virker nokså sikkert at lovpresiseringa faktisk vil åpne for å medvirke til selvmord i enkelte tilfeller.
Viser innlegg med etiketten enkelthistorier. Vis alle innlegg
Viser innlegg med etiketten enkelthistorier. Vis alle innlegg
torsdag 30. juli 2009
fredag 26. juni 2009
Assistert selvmord i Sveits 2001
Dr. Jerome Sobel som er leder for en franskspråklig dødshjelpsgruppe i Sveits forteller i en artikkel om en alvorlig handicappet kvinne han gav assistanse til selvmord. Kvinnen på 85 år hadde bodd på sykehjem siden 1965 pga. muskelsvinn, i 2001 ba hun om å få hjelp til å dø, hennes tilstand var da kommet så langt at det nærmet seg tiden hvor hun ikke lenger ville være i stand til å svelge selv.
Første møte skjedde sånn:
On 20.07.2001, I visited the community health centre to get to know this lady face-to-face. I found myself seated with a patient who was calm, lucid, coherent, bedridden and totally disabled due to a quadriplegia. This lady complained about her total dependence and the progression of her illness due to the appearance of the beginnings of diplopia and a light dysphagia. After a lengthy meeting, she confirmed to me her request for assisted suicide whilst it is still possible for her to swallow. I then had a discussion with the daughter of this patient,and the head nurse of the community health centre.
Tredje møte – kvinnen har nå gjennomgått psykiatrisk evaluering, samt hatt besøk av en prest:
On 10.08.2001, I visited the community health centre for the third time. Mrs. K. was still persistent in her request, and she told me that she had been subject to “friendly” pressure to get her to change her mind. She had been visited by a chaplain who had talked to her of sin and hell, but in vain. She had also undergone a psychiatric examination to evaluate the soundness of her judgement and the level of her depression. The outcome: no evidence of confusion.
Fjerde møte:
I went to the Hospital of Lavigny for a fourth meeting with Mrs. K. A meeting
was held between the patient, her two daughters, the head doctor of the neurology department,
and the chief nurse. The doctor confirmed that the patient was lucid, non-depressive,
and that she possessed all her faculties of judgement.
He confirmed that there was no possible curative treatment, but proposed a transfer to palliative care in another community health centre, which the patient firmly refused. She renewed her request for assisted suicide for the following day, 17 August, as planned.
17. august gir dr. Sobel kvinnen dødbringende medisin. Da sykehjemmet og senere sykehuset hun er overført til ikke vil godta at hun tar selvmord der og ingen av hennes to døtre har bolig som er passende, velger kvinnen å avslutte sitt liv i en campingvogn.
The afternoon of 17 August, I returned to the Hospital of Lavigny for a fifth visit with the patient,continued to reiterate her request, in the presence of the hospital’s head doctor and ofher two daughters. We then transported Mrs. K. to the camping car, according to her wish.After having settled her comfortably, I presented her with a drinkable solution of Pentobarbital which she swallowed herself with the aid of a straw, up to the last drop, because she did notwant to fail in her goal to depart. Mrs. K. dropped progressively to sleep, and fell slowly intoa deep coma which would result in decease.
Dr. Sobel kommenterer at helsepersonell kan føle sin faglige stolthet såret når en pasient ber om dødshjelp:
In most cases, a request for assisted suicide is viewed as a denial, as an indication of the failureof the care system. The carers must nevertheless bear in mind that the criteria for evaluatingthe quality of a life are very personal, and often have no relation to the quality of the careprovided by the health centre.
Til slutt skriver han noe om hvordan sveitsiske leger forholder seg til dødshjelp:
During the 11 December 2001 meeting of the National Council, on direct active euthanasia and assisted suicide, the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences opposed active euthanasia.On the other hand, contrary to its previous stand, today this organisation considers that, incertain cases, assisted suicide can be considered as part of the doctor’s activities; competent,comprehensive support during the journey towards the last major step from life to death.This step is not delegated by the dying person to the doctor, but is taken by the dying personhim/herself, at his/her own free will.
De motsetter seg altså aktiv dødshjelp, men åpner opp for assisterte selvmord i enkelte tilfelle (tankegangen synes å være at ved aktiv dødshjelp er det legen som er fullt ut ansvarlig for at døden inntreffer, mens ansvaret i større grad tillegger pasienten dersom legen kun medvirker til selvmord; en holdning som er litt annerledes enn hva som er vanlig i jusen hvor det å medvirke til en handling ofte blir ansett like med å utføre den selv).
Artikkel
Første møte skjedde sånn:
On 20.07.2001, I visited the community health centre to get to know this lady face-to-face. I found myself seated with a patient who was calm, lucid, coherent, bedridden and totally disabled due to a quadriplegia. This lady complained about her total dependence and the progression of her illness due to the appearance of the beginnings of diplopia and a light dysphagia. After a lengthy meeting, she confirmed to me her request for assisted suicide whilst it is still possible for her to swallow. I then had a discussion with the daughter of this patient,and the head nurse of the community health centre.
Tredje møte – kvinnen har nå gjennomgått psykiatrisk evaluering, samt hatt besøk av en prest:
On 10.08.2001, I visited the community health centre for the third time. Mrs. K. was still persistent in her request, and she told me that she had been subject to “friendly” pressure to get her to change her mind. She had been visited by a chaplain who had talked to her of sin and hell, but in vain. She had also undergone a psychiatric examination to evaluate the soundness of her judgement and the level of her depression. The outcome: no evidence of confusion.
Fjerde møte:
I went to the Hospital of Lavigny for a fourth meeting with Mrs. K. A meeting
was held between the patient, her two daughters, the head doctor of the neurology department,
and the chief nurse. The doctor confirmed that the patient was lucid, non-depressive,
and that she possessed all her faculties of judgement.
He confirmed that there was no possible curative treatment, but proposed a transfer to palliative care in another community health centre, which the patient firmly refused. She renewed her request for assisted suicide for the following day, 17 August, as planned.
17. august gir dr. Sobel kvinnen dødbringende medisin. Da sykehjemmet og senere sykehuset hun er overført til ikke vil godta at hun tar selvmord der og ingen av hennes to døtre har bolig som er passende, velger kvinnen å avslutte sitt liv i en campingvogn.
The afternoon of 17 August, I returned to the Hospital of Lavigny for a fifth visit with the patient,continued to reiterate her request, in the presence of the hospital’s head doctor and ofher two daughters. We then transported Mrs. K. to the camping car, according to her wish.After having settled her comfortably, I presented her with a drinkable solution of Pentobarbital which she swallowed herself with the aid of a straw, up to the last drop, because she did notwant to fail in her goal to depart. Mrs. K. dropped progressively to sleep, and fell slowly intoa deep coma which would result in decease.
Dr. Sobel kommenterer at helsepersonell kan føle sin faglige stolthet såret når en pasient ber om dødshjelp:
In most cases, a request for assisted suicide is viewed as a denial, as an indication of the failureof the care system. The carers must nevertheless bear in mind that the criteria for evaluatingthe quality of a life are very personal, and often have no relation to the quality of the careprovided by the health centre.
Til slutt skriver han noe om hvordan sveitsiske leger forholder seg til dødshjelp:
During the 11 December 2001 meeting of the National Council, on direct active euthanasia and assisted suicide, the Swiss Academy of Medical Sciences opposed active euthanasia.On the other hand, contrary to its previous stand, today this organisation considers that, incertain cases, assisted suicide can be considered as part of the doctor’s activities; competent,comprehensive support during the journey towards the last major step from life to death.This step is not delegated by the dying person to the doctor, but is taken by the dying personhim/herself, at his/her own free will.
De motsetter seg altså aktiv dødshjelp, men åpner opp for assisterte selvmord i enkelte tilfelle (tankegangen synes å være at ved aktiv dødshjelp er det legen som er fullt ut ansvarlig for at døden inntreffer, mens ansvaret i større grad tillegger pasienten dersom legen kun medvirker til selvmord; en holdning som er litt annerledes enn hva som er vanlig i jusen hvor det å medvirke til en handling ofte blir ansett like med å utføre den selv).
Artikkel
søndag 18. januar 2009
Reaksjoner på Daniel James selvmord
Mange fine leserkommentarer under den ene artikkelen om Daniel James død i The Times. Tar med noen her:
To Dan's parents - Nobody can ever understand your pain and anguish.We all know that love for our children stretches and that your love stretched over and beyond the day to day love we have for them so to help Dan with what he wanted for himself. I am so sad for him and for you left behind.God bless
Not enough room to tell you how I feel and give you my support. Your Son is now resting in peace and I sincerely hope that you can live in peace safe in the knowledge that you were there for him when he needed you God Bless
Having been an assistant in hospital of chronically ill elderly in my teens, and having seen what it means to be vegetable, I would choose death over life unworthy living at any moment. I think people should always have the right to terminate their own lives if they see it unworthy living.
What Dr Peter Saunders and the Care Not Killing Alliance fail to comprehend, is that whilst they may believe he needed greater support in accepting his disability, Daniel James did not want this. The sheer arrogance of these people beggars belief. Daniel's parents did the right thing 100%
Sometimes there are circumstances that people cant live with, and years of 'psychological councelling' may not have made any difference. I respect the fact he has the right to make this decision.
Mitt innlegg om Daniel James er her (eller også rett under på denne bloggen)
To Dan's parents - Nobody can ever understand your pain and anguish.We all know that love for our children stretches and that your love stretched over and beyond the day to day love we have for them so to help Dan with what he wanted for himself. I am so sad for him and for you left behind.God bless
Not enough room to tell you how I feel and give you my support. Your Son is now resting in peace and I sincerely hope that you can live in peace safe in the knowledge that you were there for him when he needed you God Bless
Having been an assistant in hospital of chronically ill elderly in my teens, and having seen what it means to be vegetable, I would choose death over life unworthy living at any moment. I think people should always have the right to terminate their own lives if they see it unworthy living.
What Dr Peter Saunders and the Care Not Killing Alliance fail to comprehend, is that whilst they may believe he needed greater support in accepting his disability, Daniel James did not want this. The sheer arrogance of these people beggars belief. Daniel's parents did the right thing 100%
Sometimes there are circumstances that people cant live with, and years of 'psychological councelling' may not have made any difference. I respect the fact he has the right to make this decision.
Mitt innlegg om Daniel James er her (eller også rett under på denne bloggen)
To selvmord
Derek Humphrey som har skrevet boka ”Final Exit” forteller han i 1980 ble oppsøkt av James Haig, en ung, alvorlig handikappet mann som ønsket hjelp til å dø. Han hadde flere mislykkede selvmordsforsøk bak seg, bl.a. hadde han en gang forgjeves forsøkt å drukne seg ved å kjøre rullestolen sin ut i Themsen, men rullestolen satt fast i søla og han overlevde. Verken Humphrey eller andre var imidlertid villig til å hjelpe den fortvilte mannen med å avslutte livet. Til slutt lyktes han for egen hånd ved å sette fyr på seg selv.
I høst kunne vi lese om en annen ung mann som hadde samme ønske om hjelp til å dø etter flere mislykkede selvmordsforsøk. Daniel James var ute av stand til å bevege en eneste finger. Til slutt tok foreldrene ham med til Dignitas i Sveits, en organisasjon som tilbyr alvorlig syke hjelp til å dø ved bruk av legeforskrevne midler som dreper raskt.
Engelske myndigheter bestemte i november at de ikke vil reise tiltale mot foreldrene for å ha hjulpet sønnen til å dø.
Foreldrene er lettet og håper dette også kan hjelpe andre familier i samme smertefulle stilling.
Sorgen over ulykken som ga så alvorlige skader at det ble ble umulig for Daniel å leve videre er naturligvis enorm. Hans mor sier:
“Our son could not have been more loved and had he felt he could live his life this way he would have been loved just the same, but this was his right as a human being. Nobody, but nobody, should judge him or anyone else.”
Fred over minnet til disse to tapre mennene
I høst kunne vi lese om en annen ung mann som hadde samme ønske om hjelp til å dø etter flere mislykkede selvmordsforsøk. Daniel James var ute av stand til å bevege en eneste finger. Til slutt tok foreldrene ham med til Dignitas i Sveits, en organisasjon som tilbyr alvorlig syke hjelp til å dø ved bruk av legeforskrevne midler som dreper raskt.
Engelske myndigheter bestemte i november at de ikke vil reise tiltale mot foreldrene for å ha hjulpet sønnen til å dø.
Foreldrene er lettet og håper dette også kan hjelpe andre familier i samme smertefulle stilling.
Sorgen over ulykken som ga så alvorlige skader at det ble ble umulig for Daniel å leve videre er naturligvis enorm. Hans mor sier:
“Our son could not have been more loved and had he felt he could live his life this way he would have been loved just the same, but this was his right as a human being. Nobody, but nobody, should judge him or anyone else.”
Fred over minnet til disse to tapre mennene
mandag 29. desember 2008
Tatoverer gjenopplivningsnekt
79 år gamle Paula Westoby i Australia ønsker ikke å bli gjenopplivd dersom hun skulle falle om. Nå har hun gjort ønske sitt tindrende klart - gjennom en tatovering på brystet.
Paula Westoby, the Dunedin co-ordinator of euthanasia group Exit International, admitted to being "scared to death" before getting her first tattoo yesterday.
"I guess if I collapse on the table, the tattooist will let me be," she said.
Ms Westoby, who has high blood pressure, said she wanted to die with dignity and the tattoo was her assurance she would not be resuscitated.
"I wanted to add 'If you do I will sue' at the bottom of it, but you have to stop at some point."
Two months ago, she wrote the message, with the help of her grandson in indelible ink across her chest and then decided to get it done - permanently.
"I wanted to make a statement and I think this is the best way to do it . . . and it is bloody practical too."
"I guess if I collapse on the table, the tattooist will let me be," she said.
Ms Westoby, who has high blood pressure, said she wanted to die with dignity and the tattoo was her assurance she would not be resuscitated.
"I wanted to add 'If you do I will sue' at the bottom of it, but you have to stop at some point."
Two months ago, she wrote the message, with the help of her grandson in indelible ink across her chest and then decided to get it done - permanently.
"I wanted to make a statement and I think this is the best way to do it . . . and it is bloody practical too."
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