CLEAR LEGAL GUIDELINE IN ENDING LIVES

I READ the article published on January 1 titled ‘ Assisting dying might not be the best way to help relieve suffering of loved ones’ authored by Darren Millar AM.

No doubt that the article is a well informed and passionate one and the subject matter is a well debated hot topic. But in my opinion is it not a black and white straight for ward case either to legalise and not to legalise assisted suicide or mercy killing. I know about many cases of mercy killing in UK even though it is a punishable criminal act under the law of the state.

It is also commonly known that many people with incurable illness and almost zero quality of life are compelled to take help if Dignitas in Switzerland to end up their painful meaningless life at a high cost and leaving the loved ones behind in fear of prosecution by the state.

Then again, what about patient’s best interest? And who decides what is patient’s best interest? What about patient’s autonomous decision end his/her life of zero quality/unbearable pain? Does keeping alive such patients with palliative sedation (PS) serve best interest of anyone?

In my opinion, we should encourage adults to opt for properly documented living wills and for minors, parents voices should be carefully considered concerning treatment or non treatment of their children rather than being overly paternalistic as in the case of Ashya King.

Similar should be for adults with mental incapacity, it souls not by any means be assumed that stressing their lives to the extreme end would be for their best interest. Rather wishes of next of kins/independent advocates’ should be given careful consideration in cessation of painful lives.

In my opinion, it can prove more traumatic for loved ones when some cases of disputes with medical team ends up in court... a clear legal guideline in ending lives is what we need.