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Issue Description
Euthanasia is illegal in the UK, but some people argue that terminally ill patients should be allowed medical assistance to die. Would legalising euthanasia allow patients to die with dignity, or could it put pressure on vulnerable, elderly and disabled people to end their lives? This book explores the ethical and medical debates surrounding euthanasia and assisted suicide.
The information comes from a variety of sources, including government reports and statistics, newspapers and magazine articles, surveys and polls, academic research and literature from charities and lobby groups; articles have been tailored to an 11 to 14 age group. Additionally, at the end of each chapter are two pages of activities relating to the articles and issues raised in that chapter.
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Key Facts
- Euthanasia is against the law in the UK. It is illegal to aid someone to take their life under any circumstances. 'Assisted suicide' or voluntary euthanasia can result in a prison sentence of up to 14 years. (page 1)
- The World Medical Association (WMA) declared euthanasia unethical in 1950. (page 2)
- 76% of respondents in a YouGov survey either agreed or strongly agreed that terminally ill people should be allowed medical assistance to die. 56% agreed or strongly agreed that those with a non-terminal but incurable illness should also be allowed medical help to die on request. (page 8)
- 65% of people polled by Communicate Research agreed that the vulnerable could feel under pressure to opt for suicide if euthanasia were made legal. (page 9)
- More than half of GPs have withheld treatment from terminally ill patients knowing it could hasten death, a survey by Pulse magazine suggested. (page 17)
- In May 2006, following an intense seven-hour debate, the House of Lords voted to block a bill that would have given terminally ill persons the right to assisted suicide. The vote was 148 to 100. (pages 20-21)
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Table of Contents
Chapter One: The Ethical Debate
Euthanasia, Euthanasia and the law, Q&A, Answering the euthanasia critics, Death with dignity, Public opinion on medically assisted dying, What do the public think?, Assisted suicide and disabled people, Palliative care, Activities.
Chapter Two: The Medical Debate
Euthanasia: a doctor's viewpoint, Should we legalise euthanasia?, Morphine kills pain not patients, Call for euthanasia legislation, Physician assisted suicide (PAS) in the United Kingdom, When premature babies should be allowed to die, Treatment for premature babies, Advance decisions, advance statements and living wills, Activities.