Should assisted dying for the terminally ill be made legal in Britain?

THE article about motor neurone sufferer Geoffrey Whaley, who ended his life at Dignitas, moved me to tears. Why won’t the Government change the law on assisted death to allow those who suffer from terminal illnesses to die with dignity here and not have to travel abroad? MPs must search their consciences.

M. SMITH, Chatham, Kent.

VinCE CabLE’S excellent, balanced article on assisted dying is difficult to counter. after 45 years of hospital medical practice, i have seen a lot of dying at work, as well as in my family. Most of the time, something

can be done to alleviate suffering. The removal of unnecessary life-prolonging treatment, for example, allows a more peaceful end. The present law treats cases of assisted suicide with understanding and compassion. however, i could never accept that a doctor should have the right to take

a patient’s life. If the law is to be changed, maybe another profession should be recruited for this.

Dr STEVE BRENNAN, Hope Valley, Derbys.

OPPOSITION to allowing terminally ill patients to choose a medically assisted death seems to be an attempt to keep self-determination out of the hands of ordinary people. The discredited Liverpool Care Pathway ended patients’ lives by denying them food and water. Yet patients are forbidden to request a peaceful, doctor-assisted death.

Name supplied, Ruislip, W. London.

I AM a disabled person who supports assisted dying. The current situation is a total mess. Judges and the Director of Public Prosecutions are tying themselves in knots trying to remain compassionate, but not break the law. My mother died after a long fight with cancer. With the best will in the world, palliative care does not always stop unbearable suffering. Parliament needs to change the law in line with public opinion.

LUCY ALIBAND, Richmond, S. W. London.

I HAVE every sympathy for those suffering intolerable pain, but should the law be changed to accommodate their views I do not trust those who would be responsible for its practical application. I have a severely disabled grandson who greatly enjoys what might to others appear to be a diminished quality of life. I fear that relatives keen to be rid of a burdensome family member would all too readily find the necessary approval to extinguish a life. A government could even, to save costs, declare a cull of the infirm and elderly. Groups such as Dignity in Dying should be careful what they wish for.

GEOFF BARKER, Camberley, Surrey.