The Assisted Dying Act has just been passed by the UK House of Commons. The law still has a long way to go, but supporters of the provision speak of relief and hope the law will change. Assisted dying is a procedure in which a terminally ill patient administers a lethal injection. Doctors are only involved in preparation.
These are provisions for the most difficult moments of life, so in addition to joy, members of the House of Commons shed tears in front of the British Parliament when the Assisted Dying Act was passed.
– I saw the suffering of my partner, who was dying of bone cancer screaming. For him and others, I must support this bill. And also for myself. I have cancer. Also with bone metastases. And I fear how it will end for me, says Jenny Carruthers.
By a vote of 330 to 275, the provisions were sent for further work.
The departments did not act according to the instructions of the party
– I was surprised by the number of people who contacted me and told me about their sick loved ones who starved to death out of despair. It takes a lot longer than you can imagine and it's scary for those around you. It is now legal and doctors have a duty to help the patient through this suffering. How can one accept this and not accept a compassionate and humane death? asked Kim Leadbeater, the bill's sponsor from the Labor Party, during a debate in Parliament.
Opponents argue that pressure can be exerted on patients to hasten their death. They noted that palliative care should be improved and the health care system should be reformed.
READ ALSO: The British Parliament passed a resolution on assisted dying
– My daughter Maria has been living with a serious disability and health problems since birth. We were repeatedly told that he only had six months to live. He lived for 27 years. Maria did not speak. I am filled with fear for people like my daughter. About people who don't talk, who don't care and don't love them, said Mary Foy from the Labor Party during the debate.
During the discussion of more than four hours, the departments did not come out according to the party guidelines. Labor politicians voted against the regulation, but former Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, for example, voted in favor of it.
– I am a person who has changed his mind. I believe in the sanctity of life, but at the same time I am against torture and suffering at the end of life, so I intend to vote in favor and send the bill to the second reading, said David Davis of the Conservative Party in the House of Representatives. of the Commons.
Two-thirds of Britons support this solution
According to the survey, two-thirds of Britons believe that assisted dying should be legal. Even some Christian clergy are supportive.
– I feel great relief. There are many among us who hope that perhaps they have suffered as their loved ones have in the past. This can only give a positive result. I have the impression that the parliament finally listened to the will of the citizens, – explains F. Valerie Plumb of the Diocese of Oxford, England.
He was accused of murder and spent two months in prison. The doctor from Gorzhov returned to work Marek Nowicki/Fact TVN
Opponents of this regulation also gathered in front of the parliament building.
– For me, as a Christian, this is just murder. We read in the scriptures: Thou shalt not kill. The fifth commandment is that you shall not kill – said Maureen Martin, one of the opponents of the rules – We need to reform social care, the health system and palliative medicine. We cannot destroy the relationship between patients and doctors, said John Smith.
Assisted dying differs from euthanasia in that the patient himself administers the agent that causes death. Doctors are only involved in preparation for the procedure. The UK rules impose a number of conditions.
Who qualifies?
Only adults and terminally ill patients with less than half a year to live can have this option. The rules only apply in England and Wales and the patient must be under the care of a local doctor for at least 12 months. Such a person should be intellectually able to express a clear and unambiguous will, free from coercion and pressure. He has to express this decision twice. The application is then examined by two independent doctors and the application is then referred to the Supreme Court. After the court's decision, there must be a period of two weeks during which the patient can change his mind. Any incitement to this procedure is punishable by imprisonment.
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The BBC contributed to Bill's death
– I have a lot of respect for people who are against this, because there may be reasons in their hearts. But it was always about choice. They still have it, and we'll have it now, says Hilary Hare Duke.
This project will be discussed in the parliamentary committees in the next few months. The regulation could come into force after two years.
SEE ALSO: A doctor from Ukraine was accused of killing an 86-year-old man. His colleague offered to resign – I could use the help of a foreign organization, but there is something very depressing about it – it's like dying in exile. I was staying alone as my partner could not accompany me due to legal reasons. I could have taken my life here, but then I would have condemned my parents to find me. What if I fail? These are the thoughts you face when you have multiple sclerosis, says Sophie Korevaar, a multiple sclerosis patient.
Assisted dying is possible in several countries: Austria, New Zealand and Canada, where it accounts for four percent of deaths each year. Switzerland was the first to introduce such an opportunity in 1942.
Main photo source: Reuters
